In the United States, most lightning deaths are reported during the summer months, with July being the deadliest.
Lightning strikes ramp up in the summer due to the increase in warm temperatures and high humidity, which help create the right conditions for thunderstorms to form.
According to the National Weather Service, there were 19 direct lightning fatalities in the U.S. in 2022, up from 11 in 2021. From 2006 through 2021, lightning strikes killed an average of 28 people each year in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
Florida leads the nation in lightning deaths, with 85 since 2006. Texas is second.
In 2022, as is typical, there was more lightning between June and August than between March and May. The peaks on the graphic below reflect storm systems moving across the country, the valleys indicate periods of calmer weather.
With summer’s warmer temperatures, more people enjoy outdoor activities. A person can still encounter lightning within 10 miles of a very strong thunderstorm.
Thunderstorms thrive on two basic conditions: moisture and rapidly rising, warm air. The combination of high humidity and warm temperatures causes large amounts of warm, moist air to rise into the atmosphere, where it can easily produce a thunderstorm and bring with it the chance of lightning.
Where does lightning occur the most?
How does lightning form?
Lightning begins as static charges within a rain cloud. The storm cloud holds millions of tiny water droplets and ice crystals that bounce into each other by the turbulent winds inside the cloud. As they crash into each other, these droplets collide with other moisture that is condensing as it rises, creating a negative charge in the lower portion of the cloud.
Lightning flashes when the attraction between positive and negative charges becomes strong enough to overcome the air’s high resistance to electrical flow.
A single bolt of lightning can heat the air around it to 54,000 degrees. Because of this high temperature, the air expands rapidly. The expansion generates a shock wave, which creates a booming sound wave, known as thunder.
Lightning can cause wildfires
Lightning-caused wildfires are much larger and consume more land (53% of the average acreage burned from 2018 to 2022) than human-caused fires.
However, the majority of wildfires are caused by humans (89% of the average number of wildfires from 2018 to 2022).
How long can a lightning bolt be?
The record for the longest lightning strike is 477 miles, set on April 29, 2020, across parts of the southern U.S. from Texas to Mississippi, according to the World Meteorological Organization. That beat the previous record of 440.6 miles for a lightning strike across southern Brazil in 2018.
Why are men struck by lightning more than women?
Although the chances of getting struck by lightning in a person’s life are 1 in 13,500, men are four times more likely than women to be struck and killed, according to the CDC.
This is because men participate in activities that put them at greater risk. Male-dominated jobs, such as construction, farming, roofing and commercial lawn and landscaping contribute to the number of lightning deaths. Generally, men also take more risks, resulting in a higher chance of being struck by lightning.
Ways to avoid becoming a victim of lightning
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s motto, “When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!,” has helped countless people.
Each year, on average, 28 people are killed by lightning in the U.S. Most victims are struck in the open, such as on beaches or golf courses, or when they take shelter from the rain under a tree.
Lightning can also be dangerous in your home. Here are some tips to reduce your risks:
SOURCE National Weather Service; Vaisala Xweather Annual Lightning Report 2022; Center for Science Education; AccuWeather; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; The USA TODAY Weather Book
