Latest news with #JohnJensenius
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Lightning injures dozens within days: What to know about Alabama weather and staying safe
After a number of lightning injuries within just five days, lightning safety specialist John Jensenius is pleading with people to bear one simple message in mind. Head to a safe place at the first signs of a developing or approaching storm, said Jensenius, a lightning expert with the National Lightning Safety Council and a retired National Weather Service meteorologist. More than 30 people were injured by lightning strikes across the nation June 20-24, Jensenius said. Based on media reports in many cases, the injured weren't following lightning safety recommendations, he said. Lingering under the beach canopy? Hate to leave the pool? Trying to squeeze in that last inning at the ballpark? When the weather is stormy, it's not worth the risk. 'People often wait far too long to get to a safe place and that puts them in a dangerous and potentially deadly situation,' he said. No place outside is safe when thunderstorms are in the area, and lightning can strike outward 10 miles from a storm, according to the safety council. More: Scorching Alabama temps put pets and wildlife at risk. Here's how to help Alabama is seeing hot and humid weather as well as a risk of storms this week, according to the National Weather Service, with triple-digit heat indices expected Wednesday areawide and much of the area on Thursday. The maximum heat index forecast in Montgomery is 105 Wednesday and 100 Thursday; in Tuscaloosa 106 Wednesday and 103 Thursday; and in Gadsden 106 Wednesday and 102 Thursday. Heat indices drop into the 90s starting Friday for much of the state. Alabama also has a chance of severe storms today from 2-10 p.m. for all but far northwest Central Alabama with the greatest risk generally along and southeast of a line from Anniston to Selma, according to the NWS. The best defense against thunderstorms is to stay inside a sturdy building or shelter that can protect you from deadly lightning, large hail, damaging winds, flooding rain and tornadoes, according to NWS severe thunderstorm safety rules. The agency advises to get out of boats and away from bodies of water; if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to the storm to be struck by lightning. In Lexington, South Carolina on June 24, 20 people were injured by a lightning strike at Lake Murray Public Park. Eighteen of the injured, including six adults and 12 children, were taken to nearby hospitals, the local weather service office said. None of the injuries were considered life-threatening. Four lightning-related deaths have been reported in the United States this year, according to the weather service and safety council. One death and at least seven lightning-related injuries have occurred in Florida just since June 21. A restaurant diner was struck on June 23 in Navarre Beach along the state's Panhandle and taken to the hospital. That same day, lightning struck a beach cabana in Holmes Beach, south of Tampa Bay. One of the four people under the cabana was taken to a hospital, and the others declined medical treatment, according to media reports collected by the weather service. On the state's southwest coast on June 21, three people suffered minor injuries after lightning struck a tiki hut on the beach, according to the Marco Island Police Department. In New Smyrna Beach, in east Central Florida, 29-year-old, Jake Rosencranz, of Colorado, died after being struck by lightning on the beach on June 21, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported. Bystanders reported the sun was shining at the beach, but the weather service said storms were likely forming to the west. Two other men were injured that afternoon just about 8 miles inland on a golf course. In Duryea, Pennsylvania on June 22, a 27-year-old man and a 13-year-old boy were injured when lightning struck a nearby tree. If you hear any thunder, even a distant rumble, you are likely within striking distance of the storm, Jensenius said. 'Move quickly to a fully enclosed substantial building with plumbing and wiring at the first signs of a developing or approaching thunderstorm,' the council advises. Outside safety: Schedule outdoor activities to avoid the lightning risk. Check the latest forecast and cancel or postpone activities if thunderstorms are predicted. Monitor weather conditions via radar or lightning app. Keep a watchful eye on the sky. Listen for thunder. Remain inside the safe place for at least 30 minutes after the last thunder before returning outside. Inside safety: Anything that is plugged into an electrical outlet is dangerous to touch when a thunderstorm is in the area. Any plumbing (or water coming from the plumbing) is dangerous to touch when a thunderstorm is in the area. If someone is struck: Victims are safe to touch. Call 911 or signal for help. Begin CPR or use a defibrillator (AED), if necessary. Dinah Voyles Pulver, a national correspondent for USA TODAY, writes about climate change, violent weather and other news. Reach her at dpulver@ or @dinahvp on Bluesky or X or dinahvp.77 on Signal. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lightning injures dozens in days: Safety tips; what to know in Alabama
New York Post
25-06-2025
- Climate
- New York Post
Lightning strikes group of 20, including children, at South Carolina beach park
A group of 20 people were struck by lightning while swimming at a South Carolina beach park Tuesday evening, emergency officials said. The thunderstorm swept through Lexington around 4:43 p.m. ET. One lightning bolt struck a group of eight adults and 12 children at Dominion Beach Park at Dreher Shoals Dam, according to a Lexington County spokesperson. Advertisement A spokesperson for the Irmo Fire Department said the lightning bolt hit the water and energized a metal cable with buoys on it that surrounds the swimming area. 'Several people had swam out to the buoys and were holding onto the cable when it hit, and others were nearby swimming,' Irmo Fire officials said. 'Everybody got quite a jolt, we're so fortunate that injuries were not worse than they were.' Originally, county officials told FOX Weather 18 people were sent to a local hospital, including all 12 children. However, the county has since updated their information to state 12 people were sent to three local hospitals for treatment. And while the extent of their injuries was not given, all were expected to survive, officials said. They did not give a breakdown in their update on how many of the injured were adults or children. Advertisement The thunderstorm swept through Lexington, South Carolina around 4:43 p.m. ET. bluebeat76 – 12 people were sent to three local hospitals for treatment. Fox The National Weather Service office in Columbia, South Carolina had issued a Special Weather Statement about 5 minutes before the lightning strike warning a strong thunderstorm was heading for western Lexington County with lightning and gusts to 50 mph. 'Lightning can strike far away from a cloud. It doesn't seem logical but a few hundred of us are believers today,' Irmo Fire officials said. 'It was bright and sunny at the lake, with clouds nearby but not overhead… Thunderstorm safety is no joke! Stay safe out there.' Advertisement John Jensenius with the National Lightning Safety Council says lightning can strike the ground as much as 10 miles away from the thunderstorm. Officials said the beach park would reopen Wednesday.
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
People keep being struck by lightning: 4 reports in about 24 hours
At least four people were struck by lightning over a time span of roughly 24 hours on June 19 and 20 as summer thunderstorms pummeled parts of the nation. A 15-year-old boy survived being struck by lightning in Central Park in New York City on the afternoon of June 19, according to reports by Accuweather and media outlets in the area. The following day, on June 20, three men experienced jolts in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, on the state's east-central coast. A 29-year-old Colorado man standing in the ocean in ankle deep water around 12:30 p.m. was critically injured by a lightning strike, according to Tammy Malphurs, director of Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue. A bystander and lifeguards immediately started life-saving measures, but the victim was unresponsive when taken from the scene to a local hospital, authorities said. Later that afternoon, about eight miles inland, two men on the Venetian Bay golf course were jolted when lightning struck nearby, but neither of them were taken to the hospital, according to WESH 2, a local television station The lightning injuries occur just as the 25th annual National Lightning Safety Awareness Week kicks off on June 22. 'It's a good time to remember the dangers that exist,' said John Jensenius, lightning specialist with the National Lightning Safety Council. 'We are about to enter the peak of the lightning season across the U.S.,' Jensenius said. 'With the increased lightning activity and the increase in people enjoying outdoor activities, we typically see an increase in lightning fatalities from late June through August." On June 8, Spencer Loalbo, a 41-year-old father of three and his father were golfing in Gunter, Texas when they were hit by a single bolt from a single storm cloud, authorities said, according to NBC 5 in Dallas. Loalbo was killed in the "blink of an eye" stated a Go Fund Me fundraiser set up for his wife and daughters. His father was critically injured and taken to a hospital. Spencer Loalbo's death was the third lightning fatality in the U.S. this year. The leading cause of lightning deaths is fishing, and it's already responsible for two lightning deaths this year, USA TODAY previously reported. Lightning strikes on golf courses are tied with yard work for 11th place on the list of activities responsible for the most lightning deaths, Jensenius said. Forty-two lightning deaths have been reported in Texas since 2006, second only to Florida, where 93 deaths have been attributed to lightning over the same time span. Several hundred people are injured by lightning each year. Most survive, but many have lifelong neurological symptoms. If you're going to be outside, it's important to remain alert for changing weather conditions, according to the Safety Council and National Weather Service. Plan in advance where you would seek shelter, and if you hear thunder, go indoors. In one of four ways: Direct strike: The person becomes a part of the main discharge channel, usually when outside in an open area. Side flash: Lightning strikes a tall object and part of the current jumps from the object to the victim − for example, when a person is struck while standing under a tree. Ground current: Lightning enters the body at the point closest to a strike, travels through the body and leaves at the contact point farthest away from the initial strike. This causes most deaths and injuries. Conduction: This is the cause of most indoor lightning deaths and injuries. Lightning travels through wires and other metal surfaces. Choose the closest large, enclosed space with plumbing and electrical wiring. Don't shelter in unprotected open buildings, such as metal sheds, picnic pavilions, baseball dugouts and porches. If a shelter isn't available, keep moving to search for a safe place. Don't lie down or crouch on the ground. Avoid trees, light poles, metal fences and bleachers. A fully enclosed car or truck can be an option of last resort, but don't touch the steering wheel, radio or ignition. Which states get the most lightning? See lightning from space See a bolt of lightning strike at the JR Motorsports headquarters in Mooresville, North Carolina. Contributing: Patricio G. Balona and Sheldon Gardner, Daytona Beach News-Journal, USA TODAY Network, and Doyle Rice, USA TODAY. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lightening strikes multiple people in about 24 hours
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Most fatal lightning strikes kill people doing this routine activity
There's danger out on the water. Already this spring, two Americans have been struck and killed by lightning, both while fishing from a boat. It's a surprisingly dangerous activity: "Fishing leads to more lightning deaths in the U.S. than any other activity," said lightning safety expert John Jensenius of the National Lightning Safety Council. Since 2006, there have been a total of 44 lightning deaths linked to fishing, he said. Just this week, April 22, a man was killed in Rankin County, Mississippi, while fishing from a boat on a reservoir. And last week, a man near Jacksonville, North Carolina, was struck by lightning, also while fishing from a boat. He later died as a result of the incident. Fishing is dangerous during a lightning storm "in part, because it often requires extra time to get to a safe place," Jensenius said. "It's vitally important for anyone who is fishing, especially from a boat, to closely monitor weather conditions and head to safety at the first signs of a developing or approaching storm." Of those 44 people killed by lightning while fishing, 41 were men. That's not unusual: On average, some 80% of lightning fatalities are men. Lightning deaths in the United States are dramatically lower than they were decades ago. How dramatic? Eighty-two years ago, in 1943, 432 people died after being struck by lightning. And that wasn't unusual for the 1940s, when several hundred people were typically killed each year, according to the National Weather Service. As recently as 2001, when a national lightning safety campaign began, the U.S. still averaged 55 lightning deaths a year. Now the average is down to 21, said Jensenius. More: Don't listen to this common thunderstorm safety advice Here are some tips for fishing if lightning threatens: ∎ Before going fishing or out on the water in a boat, always check the weather and consider postponing the outing if thunderstorms are forecast.∎ If you do go out, if possible, monitor radar or lightning data on your phone.∎ Listen for distant thunder. Keep a watchful eye on the sky. Be aware that the sound of the motor may make it difficult to hear thunder.∎ Be ready to get to safety immediately at the first sign of an approaching or developing storm. Always account for the amount of time it will take to get to shore and to a safe place. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lightning strike deaths occur most often during this activity
USA Today
25-04-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
Most fatal lightning strikes kill people doing this routine activity
Most fatal lightning strikes kill people doing this routine activity Already this spring, two in the U.S. have been struck and killed by lightning, both while fishing from a boat. Show Caption Hide Caption The dangers of dry thunderstorms during wildfire season People hope for rain to slow the spread of wildfires. It's easy to rejoice if you see a developing thunderstorm, but don't be fooled by a dry thunderstorm. AccuWeather Fishing is the leading cause of lightning strike deaths in the U.S., with 44 fatalities since 2006. The time it takes to reach safety while fishing, especially from a boat, contributes to the risk. Men are disproportionately affected by lightning strikes, accounting for 80% of fatalities. There's danger out on the water. Already this spring, two Americans have been struck and killed by lightning, both while fishing from a boat. It's a surprisingly dangerous activity: "Fishing leads to more lightning deaths in the U.S. than any other activity," said lightning safety expert John Jensenius of the National Lightning Safety Council. Since 2006, there have been a total of 44 lightning deaths linked to fishing, he said. Just this week, April 22, a man was killed in Rankin County, Mississippi, while fishing from a boat on a reservoir. And last week, a man near Jacksonville, North Carolina, was struck by lightning, also while fishing from a boat. He later died as a result of the incident. Why is fishing so dangerous? Fishing is dangerous during a lightning storm "in part, because it often requires extra time to get to a safe place," Jensenius said. "It's vitally important for anyone who is fishing, especially from a boat, to closely monitor weather conditions and head to safety at the first signs of a developing or approaching storm." Of those 44 people killed by lightning while fishing, 41 were men. That's not unusual: On average, some 80% of lightning fatalities are men. Lightning used to kill a lot more people Lightning deaths in the United States are dramatically lower than they were decades ago. How dramatic? Eighty-two years ago, in 1943, 432 people died after being struck by lightning. And that wasn't unusual for the 1940s, when several hundred people were typically killed each year, according to the National Weather Service. As recently as 2001, when a national lightning safety campaign began, the U.S. still averaged 55 lightning deaths a year. Now the average is down to 21, said Jensenius. More: Don't listen to this common thunderstorm safety advice Lightning safety tips when fishing Here are some tips for fishing if lightning threatens: ∎ Before going fishing or out on the water in a boat, always check the weather and consider postponing the outing if thunderstorms are forecast.∎ If you do go out, if possible, monitor radar or lightning data on your phone.∎ Listen for distant thunder. Keep a watchful eye on the sky. Be aware that the sound of the motor may make it difficult to hear thunder.∎ Be ready to get to safety immediately at the first sign of an approaching or developing storm. Always account for the amount of time it will take to get to shore and to a safe place.
