Atlanta, Georgia – The Deep South is entering 2026 with a renewed focus on lightning safety after four people across the region were killed by lightning in 2025, part of a nationwide total of 21 fatalities, the highest annual count since 2019.
According to the National Weather Service and the National Lightning Safety Council, the Deep South’s fatalities occurred during outdoor activities, a trend consistent across the country. Warm, humid conditions combined with frequent thunderstorms make states such as Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and South Carolina especially vulnerable once storm season ramps up.
Lightning risk in the Deep South is highest from late spring through summer, when afternoon and evening storms develop quickly along sea-breeze boundaries and cold fronts. Beaches, lakes, golf courses, farms, construction sites, and outdoor job locations significantly increase exposure, often before rain begins or skies darken.
Emergency managers across the region say winter is the most important time to reinforce safety habits. If thunder is heard anywhere, residents should move indoors immediately to a substantial building or enclosed vehicle. Open fields, isolated trees, metal equipment, and bodies of water dramatically increase the risk of being struck, even if storms appear distant.
Officials stress that early decisions save lives. Lightning safety outreach is expected to increase across the Deep South as warmer weather approaches, with the goal of preventing additional fatalities and keeping the region safer when thunderstorms return in 2026.
