Florida continues to experience a high number of lightning-related casualties as the state enters its peak summer thunderstorm season. Of the 21 recorded lightning fatalities across the United States in 2025, Florida led the nation with four deaths. The trend has continued into 2026, highlighted by a July 3 strike on Fort Myers Beach that killed one man and injured two others.
To address the ongoing hazard, natural resources Extension agents Lara Milligan of University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension Pinellas County and Shannon Carnevale of UF/IFAS Extension Polk County provided factual guidance on lightning behavior and safety protocols.
“Lightning should always be taken seriously,” the agents stated. “If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning and should seek shelter immediately. Lightning can strike miles away from the center of a storm.”
According to medical and environmental data, lightning strikes cause severe injuries, including cardiac arrest, burns, and long-term neurological damage. Beyond human casualties, lightning serves as a primary natural trigger for wildland fires. While wildfire is necessary for maintaining healthy Florida ecosystems, it presents a direct threat to life and property when it occurs near developed areas during dry conditions.
Safety officials advise monitoring cloud formations to anticipate storms before they arrive. Growing, tall clouds indicate developing storms, while sudden shifts in wind direction and dropping temperatures signify an imminent storm.
“The most important thing is to pay attention to thunder,” the agents noted. “Thunder is caused by lightning, so if you hear thunder, lightning is close enough to be a threat. Move indoors immediately and stay there for at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder. If you hear thunder again, restart the 30-minute clock.”
During a storm, proper shelter is restricted to substantial, fully enclosed buildings or fully enclosed vehicles. Safety guidelines explicitly state that individuals must not remain in or near water, and must avoid open fields, isolated tall objects, trees, open pavilions, or picnic shelters.
A common misconception is that safety is guaranteed if a storm is not directly overhead. Research shows lightning can strike more than 10 miles away from its parent thunderstorm, prompting the safety phrase, “When thunder roars, go indoors.”
The physical relationship between lightning and thunder relies on extreme temperature changes. A lightning bolt heats the surrounding air to roughly 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, causing rapid air expansion that generates the sound wave known as thunder. Because light travels faster than sound, the flash is visible before the sound is heard.
The distance of a strike can be calculated by counting the seconds between the visible flash and the audible thunder, using a ratio of approximately five seconds per mile. Experts cautioned against the popular method of counting “one Mississippi, two Mississippi” with the assumption that each second equals one mile.
“People may count five ‘Mississippis’ after a lightning strike over five seconds and assume the storm was five miles away when that strike was actually only one mile away,” the agents explained.
READ: Florida Executes Dennis Sochor, 74, The State’s Oldest Inmate Put To Death In Modern History
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