FL Lightning Activity Higher Than Average So Far This Year

FL has seen a surge in lightning activity so far this year and six lightning deaths, data shows.

By Tiffany Razzano, Patch Staff

Sep 25, 2026 5:51 PM EDT

Already known for its significant lightning activity, Florida has seen a surge in lightning strikes so far in 2026, even after a quiet start to the year.

The state averaged just shy of 14 million total lightning strikes each year from 2015 to 2019, and about 1.2 million cloud-to-ground flashes each year from 2009 to 2018, data from Vaisala shows.

Lightning activity across Florida is up 28 percent this year, compared to the 10-year average, Chris Vagasky, a lightning data and safety specialist with the National Lightning Safety Council, told the Washington Post.

Lightning strikes were actually below average in May and June before jumping 12 percent above average in July and 58 percent above average in August, he said.

The spike continued in September, with 212 percent more strikes than normal during the first half of the month, according to Vagasky, calling it a "supercharged" year for Florida.

Though Oklahoma overtook the Sunshine State as the state with the highest concentration of lightning last year (with 72.95 flashes per mile, compared to 72.93, according to a report from AEM), Florida still far outpaces other states in lightning deaths.

From 2016 to 2025, Florida recorded 51 lightning deaths, far ahead of the No. 2 state, Texas, which saw 21 lightning deaths, National Lightning Safety Council data shows. Oklahoma saw just three deaths during this period.

So far this year, Florida has seen six lightning deaths, according to the council.

These deaths include:

A 20-year-old Michigan man who was struck near downtown Celebration on Sept. 8;
A 41-year-old Utah man who was struck while jet skiing near Fort De Soto in St. Petersburg on Aug. 29;
A 31-year-old mother and her 2-year-old daughter who were hit while walking from their car to their Margate home on Aug. 23;
A 51-year-old man who was in the water at Fort Myers Beach when he was struck on July 3 and
An 18-year-old man who was struck while kayaking on a Santa Rosa County river on May 3.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer the following tips for avoiding getting hit by lightning:

Go inside if you hear thunder or see lightning.
If you stay outdoors, avoid open spaces, vehicles or tall structures, and don't carry metal.
Those outside should separate from others to reduce the number of injuries and casualties if lightning hits the ground.
Once inside, avoid water, including bathing, showering, and washing dishes.
Don't touch electronic equipment, as lightning can travel through electrical systems, radio and television reception systems, and any metal wires or bars in concrete walls or flooring.
Don't use corded phones.
Avoid windows, doors, porches, and concrete.

The CDC also urges people to bring pets inside during a lightning storm and remove any metal collars, leashes, or harnesses that might conduct electricity.