Sheldon, Iowa — Those at the RiseFest Christian music festival in Sheldon on Saturday afternoon were told to seek shelter from lightning due to a severe storm in the area. And that’s also the advice being given by the National Weather Service as we start Lightning Awareness Week.
The off-the-cuff expression is that getting hit by lightning is about as likely as winning the Powerball jackpot. The truth is, it’s not even close. You’re way more likely to get struck by lightning, says meteorologist Kelsey Angle at the National Weather Service. He says there were no lightning deaths in Iowa last year, however…
Nationwide, lightning strikes claimed 38 lives last year, which is well below the annual average of 47. He says the two Iowans who were killed were not under or inside a shelter.
Lightning is one of the top three weather-related killers, along with flooding and heat. Be aware of your situation, Angle says, as the weather can change quickly, and be mindful of the forecast.
Since thunder is merely the sound of a lightning bolt, if the skies are darkening with clouds, Angle suggests you remember the phrase, “When thunder roars, go indoors.”
For the record, the odds of being struck by lightning are about one-in-960-thousand while the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are one-in-292-million. Running the numbers, you are over 300 times more likely to be struck by lightning than to win the Powerball jackpot.
