Lansing, Michigan – Michigan 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 boating, fishing, sports, yard work, and construction. While Michigan did not record a lightning-related death in 2025, emergency managers stress that the state still faces meaningful risk once thunderstorm season returns.
Lightning danger in Michigan typically increases from late spring through summer, especially during afternoon and evening storms that develop along cold fronts and lake-breeze boundaries. Areas near the Great Lakes often see storms intensify quickly, increasing exposure for boaters, beachgoers, and people working or recreating outdoors across both Lower and Upper Michigan.
State and local officials say winter is the ideal time to strengthen safety habits ahead of 2026. If thunder is heard anywhere in Michigan, residents should move indoors immediately to a substantial building or enclosed vehicle. Open fields, isolated trees, metal structures, rooftops, and all bodies of water significantly increase the risk of being struck.
Emergency management leaders emphasize that early action saves lives. Lightning safety outreach is expected to increase statewide as warmer weather approaches, with the goal of keeping Michigan residents prepared, informed, and safe throughout the next thunderstorm season.
