BUFFALO, N.Y. — Summer has officially begun, and that means the chance for more storms across the country. This also means it's time for the annual week dedicated to lightning safety.
Each year the National Weather Service puts together a campaign to bring awareness to the dangers of lightning and how to prepare for storms as part of their Weather Ready Nation initiative.
Lightning, as defined by the Glossary of the American Meteorological Society, is a transient, high-current electric discharge found most commonly in thunderstorms. Lightning is hotter than the surface of the sun and can reach up to 50,000 degrees.
Around 25 million lightning strikes are recorded each year in the United States and account for nearly 20 deaths per year. So far there have been fpur recorded lightning related deaths across the country, none of which happened in New York state or the Northeast.
With this in mind, each year the National Weather Service hosts Lightning Safety Awareness Week to bring awareness to the dangers of lightning and how to avoid lightning related injuries through digital means.
Lightning Safety Awareness Week in 2020 is from June 21 through the 27.
Newly added resources include lightning safety resources for the deaf using ASL and various videos describing how lightning forms and what it can strike. This is in addition to the collection of graphics, fact sheets, games and videos made for all ages.
To learn more about this year's Lightning Safety Awareness Week, click here.
