Are thunderstorms really more frequent than before?

• Another factor fuels the feeling of a multiplication of thunderstorms: Our smartphones. “With these phones, everyone can become an observer of a violent phenomenon like hail or a tornado,” said the researcher. Everyone can take – and share – images and videos of hailstones or lightning, giving the impression of more frequent events than before.
• Météo France recommends, In the event of a thunderstorm alert, to take shelter far from trees and bodies of water. A simple, but vital reflex.

* Source: Keraunos, French observatory of tornadoes and violent thunderstorms.