CIRCLEVILLE – If you live in the Circleville area you most likely were affected by the stobe like lighting storm you experienced last night, if not just the flashing of light but the loud booms of the thunder afterwards.At any moment, there are as many as 1,800 thunderstorms in progress somewhere on earth and each is producing deadly lightning. Lightning detection systems in the U.S. see an average of 25 million strokes of lightning each year, from some 100,000 storms. It is estimated that the earth is struck by 100 lightning bolts every second.
“We had excessive lightning likely due to the high heat and there were high amounts of instability. One way we see storms get excessive lightning is due to the release of instability. When the storm height is very high, the top of the thunderstorm will cool to very cold temperatures. That also contributes to high amounts of lightning. Lastly, high humidity can be a factor to excessive lightning. Chillicothe got to around 90 and it was humid on Monday, so when thunderstorms encountered that lightning increased,” said Nick Dunn Weather Forecaster.
Heres some Lighting Facts:
- An average of 85 lightning fatalities occur each year
- Approximately 10% of the people struck by lightning are killed
- 70% of lightning strike victims suffer long-term effects
- Approximately 400 people survive lightning strikes each year
- The primary cause of death from lighting is cardiac arrest
- Unlike high voltage electrical injuries with which massive internal tissue damage may occur, lightning seldom causes substantial burns
- Most lightning injuries and deaths can be prevented with advance planning and being aware of developing weather situations
- A NOAA Weather Radio can help keep you informed with the latest thunderstorm information
