24 August 2016

30 Deaths from Lightning in the U.S. So Far This Year. 12 From Tornadoes

Posted by Dan Satterfield

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NOAA Image


Meteorologist John Jensenius at NOAA keeps track of the deaths from lightning each year, and I asked him to send me a list of the deaths each month, so that I could share. We are now up to 30, and it is worth noting that 80% of the deaths are male and 20% female, a fact that is not unusual, with far more males rather than females becoming victims each year.

From John:
A second victim from the August 12 lightning strike in Poughkeepsie NY has now died from his injuries.  A 46-year-old man died this morning.  He had been under a tree on or near a park bench when lightning struck the tree. Based on the date of the incident, the fatality has been inserted in the list as #27.

 

This is the 30th lightning death of the year, the most since 2009 when the yearly total was 34.  Based on the past 10 years, the average through August 23rd is 26.  In addition, this is the 9th lightning fatality for the month of August, the most for August since 2007 when there were 9 fatalities in the month.

I will also point out that the two deaths each in two separate incidents in New York State within two days (between August 10 and 12) is highly unusual.

Based on known information for lightning fatalities through 8/23/2016

John Jensenius

 

 

2016 Lightning Fatalities

Number

Date

D of W

State

City

Age

Sex

Location

Activity

Victim
1

3/18/2016

 Friday LA Larose

28

 F In tent Attending music festival Jacqui Stavis
2

3/25/2016

 Friday FL Hobe Sound

41

 M Grassy field Family picnic Farooq Mohammad
3

4/15/2016

 Friday FL Boynton Beach

23

 M Under tree Working in yard Bechelet Joseph
4

4/27/2016

 Wednesday MS Mantachie

37

 M Outside barn Riding horse Tim Edge
5

4/27/2016

 Wednesday LA Slidell

36

 M Construction site Working Elvin Arturo Castro-Santiago
6

6/13/2016

 Monday FL Manatee County

47

 M Farm Loading truck Fleuridor Kercizan
7

6/24/2016

 Friday FL Daytona Beach

33

 F Beach Standing in water Janika Gardner
8

6/25/2016

 Saturday MO Festus

72

 M Yard Standing with dog Daniel Kennedy
9

6/27/2016

 Monday MS Lumberton

24

 M Yard Standing with friend Thomas Whorton, III
10

7/10/2016

 Sunday LA Pineville

45

 M Parking lot Walking to car Scotty Rosier
11

7/14/2016

 Thursday TN Dover

64

 F Under tree Camping Franceen Crowl
12

7/14/2016

 Thursday LA Baton Rouge

70

 M Sheltering under tree Roofing Jose Humberto Vasconcelos
13

7/14/2016

 Thursday AL Redstone Arsenal

19

 M Outside building Outdoor Maintenance Jacob York
14

7/14/2016

 Thursday VA Bedford County

23

 M Along roadway Walking Robert Miller
15

7/16/2016

 Saturday NC Yancey County

54

 M Putting on rain gear Riding Motorcycle Scott Pasour
16

7/19/2016

 Tuesday CO Arvada

23

 M Sheltering under tree Golfing Peter Hawkes
17

7/19/2016

 Tuesday AL Lawrence County

20

 M In yard Watching storm Hunter Blankenship
18

7/20/2016

 Wednesday AZ Coconino County

17

 M Near mountain top Hiking Wade Young
19

7/22/2016

 Friday UT Flaming Gorge Reservoir

14

 F On reservoir Riding jetski Brooklyn Reynolds
20

7/25/2016

 Monday FL Bonita Springs

29

 M Lanai (6th floor) Construction Salomon Garcia-Martinez
21

7/31/2016

 Sunday NC Currituck County

5

 M Beach Headed to vehicle Stephen Little
22

8/5/2016

 Friday FL Okaloosa Island

22

 M Beach Attending umbellas Zachary Fordem
23

8/10/2016

 Wednesday NY Batavia

34

 M Cemetery   Richard Garlock
24

8/10/2016

 Wednesday NY Batavia

32

 F Cemetery   Jenea Macleod
25

8/10/2016

 Wednesday OH Coshocton

9

 M Outside home Bringing in horses Noah Stutzman
26

8/12/2016

 Friday NY Poughkeepsie

50

 M In park under tree Sheltering from storm  
27

8/12/2016

 Friday NY Poughkeepsie

46

 M In park under tree Sheltering from storm Franklyn Mekeel
28

8/13/2016

 Saturday PA Carbon County

39

 M Lake at State Park Swimming Jose Lopez-Hernandez
29

8/19/2016

 Friday CO Larimer County

45

 M Outside cabin under tree Standing Chad Trover
30

8/19/2016

 Friday MI Presque Isle

21

 F Near beach house Life guarding Alyson Knenlein

 

 

2016 Lightning Fatality Demographics

—————————————————————————–

 

By State

So far in 2016, there have been 30 lightning fatalities in the U.S., with 6 in Florida, 4 in Louisiana and New York, and 2 each in Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, and Colorado.  Deaths have now occurred in 16 different states thus far this year.

 FL – 6

LA – 4

NY – 4

MS – 2

AL – 2

NC – 2

CO – 2

MO – 1

TN – 1

CO – 1

AZ – 1

UT – 1

VA – 1

OH – 1

PA – 1

MI – 1

———-

 By Gender

 

Male –  24 ( 80%)

Female – 6 ( 20%)

———-

 

By Age Category

 0- 9 –  2  (  7%)

10-19 –  4  ( 13%)

20-29 –  9  ( 30%)

30-39 –  5  ( 17%)

40-49 –  5  ( 17%)

50-59 –  2  (  7%)

60-69 –  1  (  3%)

70-79 –  2  (  7%)

80-89 –  0  (  0%)

 Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

 By Day Of Week

 Sun –  2  (  7%)

Mon –  3  ( 10%)

Tue –  2  (  7%)

Wed –  6  ( 20%)

Thu –  4  ( 13%)

Fri – 10  ( 33%)

Sat –  3  ( 10%)

 

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

 

 

By Month

                                                               2006-2015

         2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006  AVERAGE

Jan.  –     0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    1    0    1      0 

Feb.  –     0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    1    0    0      0

Mar.  –     2    0    0    0    1    0    0    1    0    1    0      0

Apr.  –     3    2    0    1    2    0    0    1    0    1    3      1

May.  –     0    4    5    5    0    1    4    2    2    5    5      3

June  –     4   11    3    2    3    5    7   12    9   12   10      7

July  –    12    5    9    6   13    9   11   10   14   10   16     10

Aug.  –     9*   4    5    4    6    6    4    3    0    9    7      5

Sept. –     –    1    3    5    2    4    2    4    1    5    4      3

Oct.  –     –    0    1    0    1    1    1    1    0    2    2      1

Nov.  –     –    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0      0

Dec.  –     –    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0      0

 

YEAR       30*  27   26   23   28   26   29   34   28   45   48     31*

 

* – Known Fatalities to date

 

Note: Due to rounding, monthly averages may do not add up to the yearly average.


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