As severe weather season (and summer) is quickly approaching we must look into one of the most dangerous hazards that come with all storms, not just severe storms: lightning. Luckily, deaths due to lightning strikes have been decreasing throughout the years, but one is too many, and lightning deaths are preventable.

2023 was a year with one of the lowest lightning death counts on record. Records from the Lightning Safety Council showed that it would have been the second lowest, but another death was reported from September 2023 in the U.S. not previously accounted for. There were in total 14 lightning fatalities in 2023.

All the 14 lightning fatalities in 2023 happened between April and late September. Three of the 14 were women and the rest were men. The youngest victim was a 6-year-old boy who was struck by lightning in Valley Mills, Texas while walking home from the bus stop on May 15.

Lightning deaths are preventable. Lightning just doesn’t occur with severe storms all thunderstorms produce lightning. Strikes can happen more than 10 miles from a storm's base, this is why it is crucial to stay weather-aware and know what to do if there is a thunderstorm nearby.

You can always track the storms and see if (and how many) strikes are happening nearby on our Live Lightning Map. Find it on the same Weather Map and tap on the lightning symbol and see live lightning happening across the U.S. and the World.