As part of Lightning Safety Awareness Week, the National Weather Service Office in Lubbock would like to remind everyone of the dangers associated with lightning and provide some resources for your awareness efforts.
Lightning is a potential hazard to people outdoors and indoors and results in millions of dollars in economic losses each year. Lightning kills an average of 67 people in the United States each year, and is second only to flooding in terms of weather related fatalities. Exceeding the number of fatalities are the estimated 600-700 survivors that are left with debilitating health effects each year. West Texas sees a maximum of lightning in the late Spring and Summer months as thunderstorm develop across the southern High Plains.
Casualties are more likely to occur in open areas such as golf courses and playing fields, but lightning’s deadly strike can hit anytime during the year and in all segments of the nation. Lightning is a serious danger. With the information provided below, we hope you’ll learn more about lightning risks and how to protect yourself and your loved ones.
| NOAA Lightning Safety Website | http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/ |
| Lightning Safety Data | http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/more.htm |
| Lightning Overview | http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/overview.htm |
| Current Lightning Data | http://www.uspln.com/images/uspln.jpg |
