Latest Lightning Death Brings This Year’s National Total to 20 Fatalities

A construction worker in Bonita Springs, Florida was killed on Monday afternoon while working on the sixth story of an apartment building. Firefighters on the scene attempted to revive him but were unsuccessful.

Five lightning fatalities so far this year have occurred in Florida, four in Louisiana and two apiece in Alabama and Mississippi, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). An average of 49 deaths occur nationwide from lightning each year, according to the NWS.

Typically, lightning fatalities in the United States spike during the summer months as thunderstorms increase in areal coverage.

If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to potentially be struck by lightning. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) officially advocates the saying “When Thunder Roars, Head Indoors” to express lightning safety.

For more information on lightning safety, visit the NWS’ lightning safety page.

For WeatherNation: Meteorologist Chris Bianchi