Montgomery, Alabama – Alabama emergency officials are using the winter months to reinforce lightning safety awareness after 21 people across the United States were killed by lightning in 2025, the highest annual total since 2019.
According to the National Weather Service and the National Lightning Safety Council, most lightning fatalities last year occurred during outdoor activities such as farming, construction, sports, boating, and yard work. While Alabama did not record a lightning-related death in 2025, officials stress that the state remains highly vulnerable once thunderstorm season returns.
Lightning risk in Alabama typically increases from late spring through summer, especially during afternoon and evening storms driven by heat, humidity, and passing weather boundaries. North and central Alabama frequently see fast-developing thunderstorms, while southern parts of the state face added risk near waterways and open rural areas.
State and local officials say winter is the ideal time to strengthen safety habits ahead of 2026. If thunder is heard anywhere in Alabama, residents should move indoors immediately to a substantial building or enclosed vehicle. Open fields, isolated trees, farm equipment, metal objects, and bodies of water significantly increase the risk of being struck.
Emergency management leaders emphasize that early decisions save lives. Lightning safety outreach is expected to ramp up statewide as warmer weather approaches, with the goal of keeping Alabama residents informed, prepared, and safe throughout the next thunderstorm season.
