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Chris Vagasky, University of Wisconsin-Madison
(THE CONVERSATION) As the weather warms, people spend more time outdoors, going to barbecues, beaches and ballgames. But summer isn’t just the season of baseball and outdoor festivals – it’s also lightning season.
Each year in the United States, lightning strikes around 37 million times. It kills 21 people a year in the U.S. on average.
For as often as lightning occurs – there are only a few days each year nationwide without lightning – there are still a lot of misunderstandings about nature’s largest spark. Because of this, a lot of people take unnecessary risks when thunderstorms are nearby.
I am a meteorologist who studies lightning and lightning safety, and a member of the National Lightning Safety Council. Here are some fast facts to keep your family and friends safe this summer:
What is lightning, and where does it come from?
Lightning is a giant electric spark in the atmosphere and is classified based on whether it...
