This week on Science Behind the Forecast, learn how fatalities from lightning can happen nearly anywhere as LPM’s Bill Burton talks with Tawana Andrew.
This transcript was edited for clarity and length.
Bill Burton: It’s time for us to take a look at the Science Behind the Forecast as I’m joined by WAVE 3 meteorologist Tawana Andrew. Good morning, Tawana.
Tawana Andrew: Good morning. Today we’re continuing with the topic of lightning.
BB: Lightning and how it’s tracked was what we were talking about last week. This time, we’re talking about lightning fatalities. What do we need to know?
TA: Lightning, as most of us know, is one of the most dangerous weather hazards. Every single year, about 20 to 30 million lightning strikes – that’s with an M – hits the United States. That’s just the U.S. That doesn’t even count Africa and South America, which have considerable amounts of lightning as well.
The southeastern U.S. experiences the most lightning strikes across the country. Florida, Texas, Colorado, and North Carolina report the most lightning-related deaths and injuries over the last 50 years, more than 2,000 people have been injured by lightning in the U.S. Between 2006 and 2025, 517 people were killed by lightning; 98 of those were in Florida alone.
We know lightning strikes can happen year-round. That means lightning-related deaths can happen year-round. But the statistics show that they most often occur in July, closely followed by June and August, which makes sense if you think about summer thunderstorms. These incidents actually most often happen on Saturdays and in the afternoon.
BB: When more people are outside, I would guess.
TA: Exactly. You have plenty of outdoor events happening at that time. About two-thirds of fatalities actually occur between noon and 6 p.m. Basically, the warmest part of the day when more people are liable to be out and about.
BB: More likely to get those thunderstorms.
TA: Exactly. In the last two decades, 63% of lightning fatalities have occurred while people were engaged in outdoor leisure activities. Think fishing, boating, at the beach, things along those lines. It’s very sad to see the statistics in general, but there is good news: lightning fatalities have dropped over the last few decades. In 2006, 40 people were killed in lightning, while only 21 deaths were reported in 2025. That is a significant improvement.
BB: You like to hear that.
TA: Even better, the year 2021 had the lowest fatality numbers in the last two decades, with only 11 lightning deaths. It’s nice to see the numbers dropping and not as much of the issues as we did before. Weather apps and things like that are a big part of why more people are getting notified about lightning in their area.
We always think about lightning-related injuries and fatalities outside. It’s important to remember that you can be struck indoors, too. Lightning can travel through electrical systems, plumbing, and even the reinforcing bars within concrete walls and floors. My grandma, as a kid, always told me never to take a shower in a thunderstorm.
BB: Listen to Grandma.
TA: She knew what she was talking about in that regard. She might have been wrong about other things, but about that, she was definitely right.
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