From February 14 to 17, during the Carnival period, Ceará experienced a striking weather phenomenon with 20,448 recorded lightning strikes, as reported by Enel Distribuição Ceará. The regions most impacted included Sertão de Crateús, which reported 5,592 occurrences, followed by Centro-Sul with 3,632, Cariri with 3,537, Vale do Jaguaribe with 2,540, and Sertão Central with 1,374 strikes. Similarly, the municipalities with the highest number of lightning strikes were Crateús, Icó, Tamboril, Ipaporanga, and Ipueiras, indicating a concentrated pattern of atmospheric activity in these areas.

Furthermore, for the year 2026, Ceará has already recorded over 81,000 lightning strikes up until February 18, with Santa Quitéria leading the count at 3,043 strikes, followed by Lavras da Mangabeira with 2,186 strikes. Notably, Crateús has remained a hotspot for lightning activity in 2026 with 2,008 strikes reported up to that date. This pattern in atmospheric electricity not only poses potential risks but also highlights the geographical areas most vulnerable to severe weather conditions in the region, namely the Cariri and Sertão de Crateús, which have both reported high frequencies of electrical discharges.