Lightning safety week in Colorado

Since 1980, lightning has killed more than 90 people in Colorado and caused millions of dollars in damage.

Sunday, a house on the south side of Colorado Springs was struck and damagedby lightning. To raise awareness of how dangerous lightning can be, Governor Hickenlooper has declared this to be Lightning Safety Awareness Week.

Meteorologists say that Southern Colorado is one of the most lightning prone areas in the nation. That means that staying safe when thunderstorms rumble is very important.

“You can usually hear thunder within ten miles of where you are. When you hear thunder it’s time to get into a vehicle or sturdy building,” said Tom Magnuson from the National Weather Service.

Nationwide fifteen per cent of all people nationwide that were killed by lightning last year were killed while standing under a tree.