AUSTIN (KXAN) — Since 2006, almost 500 people have been killed by lightning strikes in the U.S., according to the National Lightning Safety Council.
Only five states have not recorded a lightning death during that time: Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, New Hampshire and Washington.
Florida holds the highest record for fatal lightning strikes, with 94 deaths reported since 2006. Following Florida, Texas comes in second with 42 deaths, then Colorado with 25, Alabama with 23, and North Carolina with 22.
Who is most likely to get killed by lightning?
Since the mid-2000s, there has been a decline in yearly lightning-related fatalities. While more than 40 deaths were recorded nationwide in both 2006 and 2007, there have been fewer than 20 per year since 2020. Men make up 80% of all the lightning fatalities reported since 2006.
The National Lightning Safety Council notes that activities such as fishing, beaching, boating, and camping have been significant contributors to the number of lightning fatalities in the country.
About 21% of all lightning deaths since 2006 have been people in their 20s. More than 80 people in their 30s have been killed by lightning strikes, accounting for 17% of all deaths.
Since 2006, 13 children under the age of 10 have been killed by lightning, including a 6-year-old Texas boy who was struck in Bosque County in May 2023 and a 7-year-old girl in Bryan, Texas, who was killed in June 2024.
When are fatal lightning strikes most common?
Deadly lightning strikes are most common in the summer months. Since 2006, more than 150 fatalities have been reported in July, about a third of all deaths.
More than 100 deaths have been reported in June, along with 91 in August. November is the only month without a single lightning death reported in the U.S.
More than 50 deaths have been reported each day of the week. There is a slight skewing of deaths toward the end of the week, with Saturday being the most common day of deadly strikes. More than 80 deaths have been reported on a Saturday since 2006.
According to the National Lightning Safety Council, your odds of being struck by lightning in a given year are 1 in 1,509,000. The odds of being struck in your lifetime are much shorter, at 1 in 18,864.
