Lightning is one of the leading causes of weather related deaths and injuries. During the years between 1940 and 1991, data from the National Weather Service indicate that lighting killed more people than did tornadoes, floods or hurricanes.
| Lightning | Flood | Tornado | Hurricane | |
| 1940 - 1991 | 8316 | 5828 | 5731 | 2031 |
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (1997) released USA lightning statistics for the years 1959 through 1994.
| Location of Incident | 40%
Unreported; |
| Victims Gender | 84% male; 16% female. |
| Months of most incidents | June 21%, July 30%, Aug 22%. |
| Deaths by State (top 5) | FL, MI, TX, NY, TN. |
| Injuries by State, (top 5) | FL, MI, PA, NC, NY. |
The costs of lightning-related damage, injuries and fatalities are staggering. Some estimates suggest that U.S. costs are in excess of $2-3 billion dollars a year.
For more information on the costs of lightning-related damage, please visit The National Lightning Safety Institute.
Lightning is is an electrical discharge between positive and negative regions of a thunderstorm. As the thunderstorm develops, interactions of charged particles produce an intense electrical field within the cloud. A large positive charge is usually concentrated in the frozen upper layers of the cloud, and a large negative charge, along with a smaller positive area, is found in the lower portions.
Lightning occurs when the difference between the positive and negative charges--the electrical potential--becomes great enough to overcome the resistance of the insulating air and to force a conductive path for current to flow between the two charges. Electricial potential in these cases can be as much as 100 million volts. Lightning strokes proceed from cloud to cloud, cloud to ground, or, where high structures are involved, from ground to cloud.
For more information on the causes of lightning and on lightning research, please visit Lightning and Atmospheric Research at NASA's Global Hydrology and Climate Center.
The six most common dangerous activities associated with lightning strikes, in order, are:
1. Work or play in open fields.
2. Boating, fishing, and swimming.
3. Working on heavy farm or road equipment.
4. Playing golf.
5. Talking on the telephone.
6. Repairing or using electrical appliances.
If caught in the open during a strike and the hair on your head or neck begins to stand on end - go inside the nearest building. If no shelter is available, crouch down immediately in the lowest possible spot and roll up in a ball with feet on the ground. DO NOT LIE DOWN.
When a thunderstorm threatens, get inside a home, a large building, or an all-metal (not convertible) automobile.
Do not use the telephone except for emergencies.
If you are caught outside, do not stand underneath a tall isolated tree or a telephone pole. Avoid projecting above the surrounding landscape. For example, don't stand on a hilltop. In a forest, seek shelter in a low area under a thick growth of small trees. In open areas, go to a low place, such as a ravine or valley.
Get off or away from open water, tractors, and other metal farm equipment or small metal vehicles, such as motorcycles, bicycles, golf carts, etc.
Put down golf clubs and take off golf shoes.
Stay away from wire fences, clotheslines, metal pipes, and rails.
For more complete information about Lightning Safety Rules, please visit The National Lightning Safety Institute.
Links to Lightning Related Web Sites
The American Meteorological Society
NASA/Marshall Space Flight
Center
Lightning and Atmospheric Electricity research at NASA/MSFC's Global Hydrology and Climate
Center.
The National Lightning
Safety Institute
The National Lightning Safety Institute (NLSI) is a non-profit group involved with
consulting engineering, education, and research activities relating to the lightning
hazard.
Lightning