NOAA Reports High Number of Lightning Fatalities in July

by C&RB Staff (editor@clubandresortbusiness.com)
September 2006
 

During the second half of July, lightning proved particularly deadly across the U.S., say meteorologists with the NOAA National Weather Service. 

Lightning has killed at least 27 people this year, with more than half of those fatalities occurring since July 15. This is more than double the number of fatalities seen in recent years for the last half of July.

“Most victims are struck before or after thunderstorms,” says Michael Utley, who was struck by lightning in 2000 while playing golf on a Cape Cod course.

Since that time, he’s promoted lightning safety at golf courses across the country with stickers and banners that read: When thunder roars, go indoors.

Other things have been done also, Utley says.

“Most golf courses have started to subscribe to services that can detect lightning 15 to 20 miles away,” he notes. “As a result, deaths have gone down and we’re making progress.”

This year, most of the fatalities in the U.S. have been people caught outside in open areas or under trees. Three were golf-related, four separate incidents involved teenagers playing soccer, two were related to camping, and two were people killed while on riding lawn mowers. Males have accounted for 22 of the fatalities, and five have been female. New Jersey and Colorado have each had three fatalities; Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Michigan have each had two deaths. Single fatalities have occurred in Nebraska, Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, South Carolina, Alabama, Indiana, Wisconsin, New York, Montana and Arizona.­