Colorado ranks in top 5 in U.S. lightning fatalities
Thunderstorms pop up nearly every day this time of the year, which means hiking in the mountains can turn dangerous. Just yesterday in Douglas County, eight hikers were struck by lightning on Devil’s Head Trail. Luckily no one was killed.
According to the National Weather Service, there are about 25 million cloud to ground lightning strikes in the United States every year. With an average of 300 people struck annually, about 30 are killed.
From 1959 to 2017, Colorado ranks 4th for lightning fatalities in the U.S. The best way to stay safe is to be off the mountain by noon, as the vast majority of deaths occur between 12pm and 7pm.
If you find yourself in a lightning storm, Jeanette Lara with Cheyenne Mountain State Park says, “You really want to find shelter, but you want to stay away from the lone tree, or the tallest object because that would likely be the draw for the lightning source. If you’re in an open meadow or a field area, you want to find the lowest depression.”
Although being struck by lightning is relatively rare, it’s always a good idea to be prepared and check the weather forecast before heading out. With scattered thunderstorms likely every day this week, there’s no better time to start taking lightning safety seriously.
