Mapping Lightning Strikes: Unprecedented Detail of 36.8 Million Strikes

New maps based on six years of data from a national lightning detection network reveal that the U.S. averages 23.4 million flashes, 55.5 million strokes, and 36.8 million ground strike points each year. Lightning strikes most frequently near the Gulf Coast, with Florida being a hot spot for cloud-to-ground lightning strikes. The data can help meteorologists, emergency management teams, and engineers better understand lightning risks and improve safety measures, as well as potentially serve as an indicator of climate change affecting storms and precipitation.