Lightening Facts

On a yearly basis, the earth hosts over 16 million storms and 3 billion lightning strikes. The United States experiences approximately 100,000 thunderstorms with 20 million lightning strikes annually.

Lightning can heat up to 60,000 degrees Fahrenheit (about 5 times the temperature of the sun).

Lightning carries 1 billion volts and 10,000 to 20,000 amperes of current.

Lightning can travel 25 to 45 miles horizontally prior to turning downward to the ground.

A flash can be six to eight miles long.

The thickness is that of a quarter to a half dollar, though the surrounding light makes it seem much larger.

The ground surface can be lethal up to a 60-foot radius at the time of the strike. If the strike occurs in water, that increases to 600 feet radius.

Compiled by APC with information from The Weather Channel, Automated Weather Service, Inc., National Weather Service, and Global Atmospherics, Inc.