U.S. top states by total lightning count 2021 | Statista (2024)

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U.S. top states by total lightning count 2021 | Statista? ›

Texas always has higher lightning count than any other state, partly due to its size and location. Ranking second, with a figure 65 percent lower, was the state of Florida, where some 14,645,013 lightning events were recorded in 2021.

Lightning strike deaths vary by region, time of year, and day of the week. Florida, Texas, Colorado, North Carolina, and Alabama have the most lightning deaths.

In the United States, Florida has the highest annual flash rate with an average of 59 flashes per year per square kilometer. Thunderstorms occur most often during the summer, which means that there are only thunderstorms for part of the year.

Out of the lower 48 states and the District of Columbia, Washington is the least lightning-prone state. The Evergreen State only sees around 21,000 strikes per year, with an average of 0.3 strikes per square mile.

This gives Lake Maracaibo the highest number of lightning strikes per square kilometer in the world, at 250.

Texas always has higher lightning count than any other state, partly due to its size and location. Ranking second, with a figure 65 percent lower, was the state of Florida, where some 14,645,013 lightning events were recorded in 2021.

Florida, Texas, Colorado, North Carolina, Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Missouri, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania have the most lightning deaths and injuries. Florida is considered the “lightning capital” of the country, with more than 2,000 lightning injuries over the past 50 years.

“Though the Tampa Bay area is sometimes referred to as the “Lightning Capital of the World”, it is more accurately called the “Lightning Capital of North America” if measured by average number of days with thunderstorm activity per year.

"The Maracaibo Beacon" has claimed many lives.

The lightning capital of the world can be found in Venezuela, where the Catatumbo River meets Lake Maracaibo.

In the US, the state of Florida has long been known to see the most lightning bolts of any state. On average, the sunshine state can expect around 1.45 million strikes a year.

What is the thunderstorm capital of the United States? ›

In fact, the answer might surprise you. With an annual average of 89 thunderstorms, Fort Myers, Florida, is the thunderstorm capital of the U.S. And that's not some climatic anomaly, either.

Known as Relámpago del Catatumbo, the storm is located where the Catatumbo River flows into Lake Maracaibo. Warm air from the Caribbean meets the cold air from the mountains, creating the perfect conditions for lightning. This everlasting lightning storm may be the world's largest generator of ozone.

Besides San Diego, other California cities that have an exceptionally low frequency of bad storms are Los Angeles and Sacramento. One other city, Las Vegas, Nevada rates high among American cities that seldom have storms, and is the city least likely to see heavy rain.

The most frequent occurrence is in the southeastern states, with Florida having the highest number 'thunder' days (80 to 105+ days per year).

These are distributed over Colombia and Venezuela. Lake Maracaibo is the region with the most lightning in the world, with 233 lightning strikes per km2 per year.

Metal pipes and wires can allow lightning to travel into a house with often damaging and dangerous results.

Lightning strikes the United States 20 million times per year. Lightning moves about 30,000 times faster than a bullet. Thunder is the result of the rapid heating and expansion of air caused by a lightning flash.

Thunderstorms easily develop with plenty of moisture in the atmosphere each day, again thanks to Florida being so far south and surrounded by water. As temperatures heat up each afternoon, there is a lot of energy for thunderstorms to use up, grow tall and produce excessive lightning.

Most deaths occur within one hour of injury and are due to fatal arrhythmia or respiratory failure. Up to 74% of survivors may have some form of permanent disability.

Well, spare a thought for the former American park ranger Roy C. Sullivan, who holds the record for The Most Lightning Strikes Survived. Born in Greene County in 1912, Roy worked as park ranger in Shenandoah National Park in his native Virginia. He was hit by lightning an amazing seven times - and survived every time!

Which U.S. city has the most lightning strikes? ›

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Four Corners, Florida, an area just a few miles to the south and west of Orlando, was found to have the highest lightning strike density of anywhere in the entire U.S.

Global leading countries based on the total lightning density 2021. Singapore had the highest lightning density worldwide in 2021, accounting for 163.08 lightning events per km². Coming second and third were Macao S.A.R. and Brunei, respectively.

Climate and weather-preparedness in Miami

Despite being in the same state, both temperature and humidity levels in Miami exceed those in Tampa. The average high temperatures in Miami strike at 87 degrees Fahrenheit, while averages for the year usually hover around 77.9 degrees Fahrenheit.

Catatumbo means "House of Thunder" in the language of the Bari people. It originates from a mass of storm clouds at an altitude of more than 1 km (0.6 mi), and occurs for 140 to 160 nights a year, nine hours per day, and with lightning flashes from 16 to 40 times per minute.

Answer: Bhutan is known as Land of Thunderbolt. Bhutan is recognized as the Land of Thunderbolt due to the extreme and large thunderstorms which wash via the valley from the Himalayas. It was believed that the sparkling light of a thunderbolt was the red fire of a dragon.

Known as Relámpago del Catatumbo, or “the everlasting storm,” this wondrous natural light show rampages through the sky for up to 160 nights a year, for as long as 10 hours at a time and produces as many as 280 per hour. The area has been labeled as the most electric place on Earth.

Texas witnessed 368 major disasters from 1953 through 2022, according to MoneyWise, the most of any state. The recent standout is 2017's Hurricane Harvey, which had more than $125 billion in damage — most of it from catastrophic flooding in Texas.

If we track lightning by density and convert from square kilometers to square miles, Florida becomes the clear winner with 285 lightning strikes per square mile in 2022. Louisiana was second at 221 strikes per square mile, with Mississippi (206), Oklahoma (163) and Arkansas (157) rounding out the Top 5.

Thunderstorms have three stages in their life cycle: The developing stage, the mature stage, and the dissipating stage. The developing stage of a thunderstorm is marked by a cumulus cloud that is being pushed upward by a rising column of air (updraft).

The term heat lightning is commonly used to describe lightning from a distant thunderstorm just too far away to see the actual cloud-to-ground flash or to hear the accompanying thunder.

What is the safest state to live in for natural disasters? ›

Counties in New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah have the lowest risk of environmental peril, according to a recent study from CoreLogic, a real estate data firm. The study analyzed the risk of natural disasters over the next 30 years, to the nation's 154 million properties.

I​n 2021, U.S. News and World Report analyzed resiliency data from the Environmental Protection Agency and found that the top five most climate-resilient cities in the U.S. were Anchorage, Alaska; Honolulu; Spokane, Washington; Eugene, Oregon; and Santa Barbara, California.

The wettest city in the U.S. is Hilo, Hawaii, where it rains 211 days a year. Interestingly, Hilo gets between 10 and 40 times as much rain as some other parts of the Big Island. It also rains and snows a lot in Alaska. Sitka gets about 86 inches of precipitation a year over a whopping 173 days.

Compared to more active parts of the United States, thunderstorms are relatively rare in Alaska, New England, North Dakota, Montana, and other northern states where the air is generally cold. Thunderstorms are also usually rare along the Pacific Coast, since the summertime air there is relatively dry.

Florida – 53.7 Inches Of Rain Per Year

The area of Florida north of Lake Okeechobee boasts a humid subtropical climate, whereas the area south of the lake has a tropical climate. The state has the highest number of thunderstorms and lightning strikes in the country each year.

Computer simulations showed higher frequency as the atmosphere warms. And climate models showed that such strikes could increase from three strikes per second globally to four strikes per second. They note that the models also showed all types of lightning strikes increasing by 2090, representing a 28% increase.

Perhaps it's because the chance of a lightning strike is, for most houses, quite low. However, most high buildings and other structures do have some kind of lightning protection system incorporated into them.

NO! Like trees, houses, and people, anything outside is at risk of being struck by lightning when thunderstorms are in the area, including cars. The good news though is that the outer metal shell of hard-topped metal vehicles does provide protection to those inside a vehicle with the windows closed.

Lightning rods (and the accompanying protection system) are designed to protect a house or building from a direct lightning strike and, in particular, a lightning-initiated fire.

Where in the U.S. is the most struck by lightning? ›

Florida scored first place in lightning density among all 50 U.S. states, with 285 lightning events per square mile. Louisiana and Mississippi came in second and third place, respectively. Florida also ranked second, behind Texas, in total lightning count with a staggering 18,706,904 lightning strikes.

In particular, Florida takes the trophy for most thunderstorms in the U.S., on average, with parts of Florida experiencing thunderstorms more than 100 days per year, on average.

Lightning kills about 20 people each year in the United States and hundreds more are injured. Some survivors suffer lifelong neurological damage. Here's more information on the victims and the survivors.

Walter Summerford isn't a household name, but is widely considered to be the world's most unfortunate man. Not only was he struck by lightning multiple times in his life, but once more after his death for good measure. It didn't take long for many to suggest that Summerford may not have simply been unlucky, but cursed.

Roy Cleveland Sullivan (February 7, 1912 – September 28, 1983) was an American park ranger in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Between 1942 and 1977, Sullivan was claimed to have been struck by lightning on seven occasions, surviving all of them.

Only about 10% of people who are struck by lightning are killed, leaving 90% with various degrees of disability.

Because thunderstorms and lightning strikes are related, areas with higher chances of thunderstorms will also have more lightning strikes. The states with the most lightning strikes include Arkansas, Arizona, Mississippi and New Mexico. The most lightning-related deaths have occurred in Texas and Florida.

The electric current has to pass through your body to do you any harm, and the conducting sea water will carry a good deal of the current around your body. You are at much greater risk if you are protruding above the water in a boat or on a windsurf board, as I once was during a lightning storm in Australia.

Should you wash your hands or take a shower during a thunderstorm? ›

Lightning can travel through plumbing. It is best to avoid all water during a thunderstorm. Do not shower, bathe, wash dishes, or wash your hands.