Home / Weather News /

2021: Record low number of lightning deaths in the U.S.

05:23 PM
January 10, 2022

One is too many...
2021 record low lightning deaths

lightning

Lightning safety campaigns and weather technology apps, like Weather & Radar, are helping to increase more awareness about lightning events and limit deaths. In 2021, the U.S had a record low number of lightning deaths, 11 in total. For a preventable point, this is still too many deaths.

There were a total of 194 million lightning events in the United States in 2021. Even though the number of lightning events has been increasing, the number of deaths due to lightning has been sharply decreasing, more notable since 2006.

For example, in 2006 there were 48 lightning deaths, in 2013 there were 23 lightning deaths. Flash forward to 2020, there were 17 deaths due to lightning.

Statistics deep dive

Data between 2006 and 2020 show that 80 percent of deaths were men while 20 percent were females. Most of the deaths happened to those between 20-29 years old followed by 30-49 years old. July is typically the month when the most lightning deaths occur, with Saturdays being the most active day too.

Read more: Lightning facts

Unfortunately, about 63% of deaths happen while individuals do outdoor leisure activities, most doing water activities such as boating, but gardening, fishing, golfing, or just being at the beach while there are thunderstorms nearby contribute to the number of yearly deaths.

Know that lightning can happen anywhere there are thunderstorms nearby, it doesn’t necessarily need to be raining. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm base, therefore it is critical to monitor the weather and know which way the storms might be moving or growing.

Follow these lightning safety guidelines whenever you have plans to do outdoor activities, any season of the year.

Irene Sans
More on the topic
Weather radar with dust plumes and webcam view of Mallorca with milky skies.
Saturday, August 30, 2025

Sky coloured orange

Saharan dust over Spain
EF-2 tornado pictured in Colorado
Saturday, October 18, 2025

World of Twisters

Tornado myths answered
Warm 2025 autumn equinox
Monday, September 22, 2025

Autumn Equinox

Fall is officially here!
All weather news
This might also interest you
Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Daily briefing

Isolated severe storms, mountain snow
Thursday, October 16, 2025

Daily briefing

Autumn storm impacts northern tier
Monday, October 20, 2025

Summer lingers

Autumn missing from Texas
All articles
Weather & Radar

www.weatherandradar.com

instagramfacebookthreadsContact uslinkList
Privacy policy | Legal info | Accessibility statement