Lightning seems to be striking, and even killing, lots of people this summer. What are the odds you'll get struck in your lifetime — and how can you minimize the risk?
On Wednesday, the Norwegian Ski Federation announced that Olympic skier Audun Groenvold, a bronze medalist at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, died the previous evening after lightning struck him during 'a cabin trip.' Groenvold was 49 years old.
Exactly one week earlier, a lightning bolt hit another athlete, Simon John Mariani, 28, while he was playing the 15th hole of New Jersey's Ballyowen Golf Course. Mariani 'unexpectedly' died of his injuries on Monday, according to an obituary his family posted online.
Around the same time, two Georgia teens, Joey Nelson, 18, and Randall Martin III, 19, were struck and killed while fishing at a local pond. And five people were injured by lightning near Florida's St. Augustine Pier on Saturday afternoon.
'I felt the jolt through my body,' one of the victims, Stephanie Bayliss, told News 4 in Jacksonville. 'It was a horrible pain. Everything went blank. Everything was super loud. My ears hurt, and they were muffled. As soon as the second was over, I had a splitting headache. My wife turned around to me and said, 'I just got hit in the back of the head.' I said, 'I did too.''
Here's everything you need to know to stay safe from lightning this summer.
Why are there so many lightning strikes (and deaths) right now?
The first cause is seasonal. Lightning can occur at any time of year, but since it's typically associated with thunderstorms — and thunderstorms tend to occur when the air is warm, humid and unstable — the phenomenon is most prevalent during the spring and summer months, especially across the mid-Atlantic and Sunbelt regions of the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Florida is considered the 'lightning capital' of the country.
Of course, people have to be around lightning to get hurt by it, and the risk is highest when they're outside (where about two-thirds of lightning injuries take place). The combination of these two factors — weather patterns and outdoor activity — makes July by far the deadliest month for lightning strikes, according to the CDC, with 147 recorded during that month from 2006 through 2021. June (99 deaths) and August (77 deaths) are a distant second and third, respectively.
The other dynamic at play could be climate change. In 2014, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley found that every time the planet warms by 1°C, the number of annual lightning strikes is expected to increase by 12%. So 'for every two lightning strikes you had at the beginning of the century, we will have three at the end of the century,' one of the researchers explained at the time. Lightning fatalities in developing countries have been rising in recent years, likely as a result.
What are the odds of getting struck by lightning in your lifetime?
Low, but not zero. In 2019, the National Weather Service added the average number of annual U.S. lightning deaths over the previous decade (27) to the average number of annual lightning injuries (243) and calculated that each individual American has a 1 in 1.2 million chance of getting struck by lightning in any particular year — and a 1 in 15,300 chance of getting hit at some point during their life.
Among the factors that can indicate an increased risk, according to the CDC: gender (males are four times more likely than females to be struck by lightning); age (the average age of a person struck by lightning is 37); time of day (two out of three lightning deaths occur between noon and 6 p.m.); recreation (from 2006 through 2021, leisure activities such as fishing, boating, playing sports and relaxing at the beach accounted for almost two-thirds of lightning deaths); and occupation (work-related activities contribute to about 18% of total lightning fatalities, with farmers and ranchers at highest risk).
Almost 90% of all lightning strike victims survive, though, so even if a bolt does hit you, chances are you won't die.
What happens to your body if you get struck by lightning?
Getting struck by lightning delivers a massive electrical pulse to the body. That can short-circuit the heart and stop it from beating. When people die from lightning, they're actually dying from cardiac arrest.
Lightning strike survivors typically experience a variety of short- and even long-term symptoms. Burns can affect skin and sometimes internal tissues — though brief heat exposure (lightning only lasts a fraction of a millisecond) can limit the damage. Eardrums may be ruptured. Cataracts often develop, sometimes as much as a year later.
The nervous system can be affected as well, with victims reporting headache, nausea, stomach upset and other post-concussion types of symptoms; mild confusion, memory slowness or mental clouding; even dizziness and loss of balance. Longer term, survivors can have trouble with mental processing; some may experience personality change or depression.
How to avoid getting hit by lightning
About 40 million lightning strikes reach the ground each year in the U.S. To avoid getting hit, shelter in a substantial building or hard-topped vehicle with the windows rolled up at the first sign of a thunderstorm, and remain there until the storm has passed. Rain shelters, small sheds, balconies and porches are not safe. Don't use rain as your guide; lightning can strike 10 miles ahead of a storm and linger after a downpour has ended. Remain inside for 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder.
If you can't get inside, do whatever you can to avoid tall structures (rooftops, scaffolding, utility poles, ladders, trees, large equipment) and conductive materials (metal, utility lines, water, water pipes, plumbing).
And even if you can get inside, make sure to avoid metal, wiring and plumbing as well. When lightning strikes a home or building, it often follows the wiring or plumbing to ground. Don't touch anything that's plugged into an outlet or connected to outside doors or windows.
Finally, if someone you know is unfortunate enough to get struck by lightning, call 911 immediately, monitor the victim in the meantime and use CPR if necessary. Lightning survivors do not carry an electrical charge, so they are safe to touch.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New York Times
27 minutes ago
- New York Times
2027 QB Teddy Jarrard commits to Notre Dame over Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State
When Notre Dame advanced to the College Football Playoff national championship, it created the kind of problem head coach Marcus Freeman welcomed. Spending most of January preparing for Ohio State meant the Irish coaching staff couldn't scour the country looking for its next quarterback. That put the Irish staff relatively behind when it came to assessing quarterbacks in the Class of 2027, as everybody else — other than Ohio State — got a jump on the next cycle. Advertisement Now, Notre Dame is officially caught up. On Thursday afternoon, four-star quarterback Teddy Jarrard committed to Notre Dame over finalists Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound prospect from Kennesaw, Ga., was one of just two quarterbacks offered by the Irish this summer, along with Peyton Houston from Shreveport, La. Notre Dame didn't make those offers until mid-June. Jarrard visited Notre Dame about two weeks before picking up that offer, as part of a busy summer that included visits to his other four finalists, along with LSU, Arkansas and Clemson. Jarrard also last month attended the Rivals Five-Star Challenge in Indianapolis, where he earned quarterback MVP honors while working with prospects a year older, including Notre Dame running back commitment Javian Osborne. That recruiting showcase offered some insight into where Jarrard might be headed in the national rankings, which remain inconclusive. After the Rivals event, Jarrard jumped to No. 52 overall, No. 5 among Georgia prospects and No. 2 among quarterbacks on the network. That's in contrast to 247 Sports, which has Jarrard as a three-star prospect, No. 18 among quarterbacks and No. 35 among prospects from Georgia. Jarrard still has two more years to prove where he really belongs in those rankings. He'll finish his high school career as a four-year starter, playing two seasons at North Cobb Christian before transferring to North Cobb High School. Last fall, Jarrard led North Cobb Christian to an 11-2 record while completing 222 of 323 passes for 2,762 yards and 31 touchdowns. Jarrard is Notre Dame's third commitment in the Class of 2027, following linebacker Ellis McGaskin (Mobile, Ala.) and long snapper Sean Kraft (Asheville, N.C.).


USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Notre Dame finds its 2027 quarterback, as 4-star Georgia prospect Teddy Jarrard commits
It is hard to find a hotter team recruiting than Notre Dame football at the moment, and on Thursday the good times kept rolling at 2027 Georgia quarterback Teddy Jarrard committed. The Irish beat out Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State for the 6-foot, 3-inch and 190-pounder, adding the No. 195 overall prospect in the 247Sports Composite Rankings to its class. The Irish have made significant changes to the way they recruit since Marcus Freeman was elevated to head coach, and one of the biggest differences we have seen is the recruiting at the quarterback position. Jarrard is the latest to join the fold, as in the last few years we have seen CJ Carr, Kenny Minchey, Blake Hebert and soon to sign Noah Grubbs getting added to Notre Dame's roster. Over the next two years, the newest Irish quarterback commit will see an uptick in his high school competition after transferring to North Cobb in Kennesaw, a much tougher division. As a prospect, Jarrard has everything you are looking for, size, speed, arm strength and anticipation. He won the Rivals 5-star quarterback challenge last month, and could see a big jump in his ranking as he gets closer to his signing date. This was a massive recruiting win for Notre Dame and we are certainly excited to see Jarrard wearing the Blue and Gold in the future. Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions. Follow Mike on X: @MikeFChen

Associated Press
2 hours ago
- Associated Press
There are 5 first-time NFL head coaches this season and they each face distinct challenges
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Aaron Glenn has been mapping out exactly how he wants to lead an NFL team for a few years. Before he was hired as the New York Jets' head coach in January, Glenn spent four seasons as the Detroit Lions' defensive coordinator and was empowered by coach Dan Campbell to make some crucial calls for the team off the field. 'He allowed me to actually act in the position of being the head coach,' Glenn said. 'To be able to do the calendar for the offseason, plan training camp out, be able to make decisions that he was supposed to make. 'But he allowed me to make those decisions to get me ready to be in this position.' Glenn, a three-time Pro Bowl cornerback during a 15-year playing career, is charged with trying to turn around the fortunes of a Jets franchise that has the NFL's longest playoff drought at 14 seasons. He opened training camp this week as one of five first-time head coaches in the league, joining Jacksonville's Liam Coen, Chicago's Ben Johnson, New Orleans' Kellen Moore and Dallas' Brian Schottenheimer. All five are long-time assistants who now each face distinct challenges and must balance the responsibilities of managing an entire roster and staff instead of focusing on one particular side of the football. Aaron Glenn, Jets Age: 53 Background: Jets' first-round pick (No. 12 overall) in 1994 out of Texas A&M. Played eight seasons for New York before three with Houston, two with Dallas and one each with Jacksonville and New Orleans. After retiring from playing, Glenn served as the general manager of the Houston Stallions of the indoor Texas Lone Star Football League in 2012 before being hired as a personnel scout with the Jets later that year. He then had stints as an assistant with Cleveland, New Orleans and Detroit. Task: He and new GM Darren Mougey focused on making the Jets' roster younger, parting ways with veterans such as QB Aaron Rodgers, WR Davante Adams, LB C.J. Mosley, K Greg Zuerlein and P Thomas Morstead. Glenn, who considers his former coach Bill Parcells a mentor, spoke often during the offseason about changing the Jets' culture. Ending their long postseason drought will help and there's key foundational talent — WR Garrett Wilson, CB Sauce Gardner, RB Breece Hall, DT Quinnen Williams, edge rusher Jermaine Johnson — but the youth movement could temper some first-year expectations. Liam Coen, Jaguars Age: 39 Background: Played quarterback at UMass. Spent last season as Tampa Bay's offensive coordinator before being hired by Jacksonville in January to replace the fired Doug Pederson. Coen had two stints with the Los Angeles Rams, including serving as Sean McVay's offensive coordinator in 2022. He also had college stops as an assistant at Brown, Rhode Island, UMass, Maine and Kentucky. Task: His awkward Jaguars intro — 'Duuuval' — went viral, but Coen was hired for his offensive prowess after he helped Baker Mayfield to the best season of his career with the Buccaneers. Trevor Lawrence, the No. 1 overall pick in 2021, has not yet fully lived up to expectations and that will be the focus for Coen, who'll call the plays, and offensive coordinator Grant Udinski. Adding versatile No. 2 pick Travis Hunter to the offense (and defense) should help Lawrence and a franchise that has just one playoff appearance in the past seven seasons. Ben Johnson, Bears Age: 39 Background: A former backup QB at North Carolina, Johnson was Detroit's offensive coordinator the past three years and helped Jared Goff and the Lions lead the league in scoring last season. Johnson's path to the NFL began as an assistant at Boston College before seven seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He joined the Lions in 2019 as an offensive quality control coach and was retained by Campbell when he took over as coach in 2020, serving as the tight ends coach and then passing game coordinator before becoming the OC in 2022. Task: The Bears drafted Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in last year's draft and Chicago is hoping Johnson will be able to develop the quarterback into a playmaking star. Williams showed promise while starting all 17 games, throwing for a franchise rookie-record 3,541 yard with 20 touchdown passes and six interceptions, but his 68 sacks led the league. Getting Williams to get rid of the ball faster and improve on his accuracy should help, so should GM Ryan Poles' trade acquisitions of guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson to bolster the offensive line. Kellen Moore, Saints Age: 37 Background: A former backup quarterback with Detroit and Dallas over six NFL seasons, Moore was long considered a head coaching candidate during his stops as an offensive coordinator with the Cowboys, Chargers and Eagles. In his only season in Philadelphia, he guided a high-scoring offense that powered the Eagles to the Super Bowl behind quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley. Task: Moore doesn't have the talent-rich roster he had last season. He also isn't quite sure who his quarterback will be after Derek Carr unexpectedly retired in May with a shoulder injury. The Saints drafted Tyler Shough in the second round and also have Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener, who each started games last season. The offense has some talent with WR Chris Olave and RB Alvin Kamara, but the defense needs to improve after allowing the second-most yards rushing in the NFL. Brian Schottenheimer, Cowboys Age: 51 Background: The son of the late Marty Schottenheimer was a bit of a surprise pick by Jerry Jones to replace Mike McCarthy as Dallas' coach. But the younger Schottenheimer has a lengthy resume in both the pros and at the college level, with stints as an offensive coordinator with the Cowboys, Seahawks, Rams and Jets among them. Task: Schottenheimer will need to build an even better rapport with quarterback Dak Prescott, who played in only eight games last season because of a hamstring injury. The coach also made some headlines during the offseason when he said Prescott is still 'in the developmental phase' of his career and the team is tweaking some things with him. With Philadelphia still among the NFL's elite teams and Washington one of the league's most promising squads, Schottenheimer and the Cowboys will have a tough road to make the playoffs out of the NFC East. That's despite Jones saying he's 'excited about our team's ability to compete right now.' ___ AP NFL: