Lightning

In Florida, lightning kills more people than all other weather hazards combined.
Florida ranks first in the number of lightning strikes and the number of lightning deaths in the United States.
Historically, the most dangerous months are June, July and August.
It is important to know that there is more than one kind of lightning. Most lightning strikes that hit the ground are negatively charged and occur close to the rain area of a thunderstorm. During a storm, positive charges build in the upper part of the storm and can become so intense that they will produce a ground stroke that is many times more powerful than a typical negatively charged stroke.
These positively charged strokes can strike many miles from the rain area of a storm and are particularly dangerous because people are often caught by surprise. They see an approaching thunderstorm, but think the rain is too far away for a lightning strike in their area.
Most people who are struck by lightning are hit before the rain arrives at their location, or after the rain has ended.