Lightning Facts

Did You Know?

• Florida is the lightning capital of the U.S., averaging thunderstorms 70-100 days per year.

• In Florida on average, lightning kills 10 and injures 40 people per year.

• In the U.S. on average, lightning kills 93 and injures 300 per year.

• No place outside is safe from lightning.

• Most people are struck by lightning before it starts raining or after it stops raining.

• Lightning injures many more people than it kills and can cause permanent lifelong injuries.

• A lightning bolt can reach 54,000 degrees Fahrenheit, about five times hotter than the surface of our sun.

• Lightning strikes the United States 20 million times per year.

• Lightning moves about 30,000 times faster than a bullet.

• Thunder is the result of the rapid heating and expansion of air caused by a lightning flash.

• The average lightning flash could light up a 100-watt light bulb for three months.

Information obtained from the Florida Beach Patrol Chiefs Association. For more information, visit noaa.gov/lightning.html

Lightning Do’s and Don’t

• If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning.

• If caught outside, do not stand underneath tall objects such as trees, poles or on elevated ground.

• Seek shelter in a completely enclosed structure; a structure with only a roof is not safe.

• If caught outside, do not lie flat on the ground, squat low to the ground on the balls of your feet.

• If caught outside in a group, spread out at least 20 feet apart.

• Two of the most common dangerous activities associated with lightning are playing in an open field and being in or near water.

• When inside, avoid touching or using plumbing fixtures, electrical devices or corded telephones.

• If you are seeking shelter inside an automobile, make sure it has a hard top (roof) and keep the windows up.

• If the hair on your head or body begins to stand on end during a thunderstorm, seek shelter immediately.

• Use the 30-30 rule: count the seconds between the lightning and the thunder; 30 seconds or less, take cover! After the storm, wait 30 minutes before leaving shelter.

• Lightning strike victims carry no electrical charge and should be evaluated for CPR, shock, and first aid if it is safe for the rescuers.

Information obtained from the Florida Beach Patrol Chiefs Association. For more information, visit noaa.gov/lightning.html