Lightning and Lightning Safety

This year (2020) marks the 20^th annual Lightning Safety Awareness Week across the United States. In the 20 years since the effort began, the U.S. has seen a marked decrease in lightning fatalities. In 2001, when the campaign began, the U.S. had 55 deaths per year based on the 10-year average from 1991-2000. In the past 10 years (2009-2018) the U.S. has averaged about 27 deaths per year. Based on these statistics, almost 280 lives have been saved in just the last 10 years. Much of the success of this campaign can be attributed to the educational and awareness efforts of broadcasters and the National Weather Service.

As successful as the lightning safety efforts have been, about 25 people are currently killed each year in the United States with hundreds more injured. Most of these deaths and injuries could be prevented if people took the appropriate safety precautions in a timely manner. The broadcast media play a vital role in not only warning people of thunderstorms, but also helping people understand the dangers of lightning so that they are able and willing to get to safety before the lightning threat becomes significant.

In this talk, I will talk about the science of lightning, discuss lightning safety issues, answer some of the most frequently asked questions, and provide the latest information on lightning fatalities in the United States. In addition, I will show some of the animations available to help explain lightning and provide information on the various resources available to broadcasters and the public on lightning and lightning safety.