All You Need To Know About Lightning

Tidbits

    Every thunderstorm produces lightning, which kills more people each year than tornadoes.

    National Weather Service considers a thunderstorm severe if it produces hail at least 3/4 inches in         diameter, wind 58 miles per hour or higher, or tornadoes.

    Of the estimated 100,000 thunderstorms that occur each year in the United States, only about 10 percent are classified as severe.

    Lightning occurs with ALL thunderstorms averaging 93 deaths and 300 injuries per year.

    The average flash could light a 100-watt bulb for more than 3 months.

    Most lightning occurs within the cloud or between the cloud and ground.

    Your chances of being struck by lightning are estimated to be 1 in 600,000 but could be reduced by following safety rules.

    Most lightning deaths and injuries occur when people are caught outdoors.

    Most lightning casualties occur in the summer months and during the afternoon and early evening hours.

    Lightning can strike anywhere.

    The air in the core of a lightning bolt has been estimated to be heated to as much as 54,000 degrees Fahrenheit.  That happens to be about six times hotter than the surface of the sun.  While the air near a lightning strike is heated to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

    In recent years, people have been killed by lightning while:  boating, standing under a tree, playing soccer, swimming, riding on a lawnmower, fishing in a boat, golfing, talking on the telephone, mountain climbing, bike riding, and loading a truck.