It happens all the time.

You’re sitting out on the beach, enjoying a beautiful sunny day. And then… it all changes.

The sky gets dark. The wind picks up. The rain starts to fall, and then lightning strikes!

It’s time to act.

When thunder roars, get indoors.

We may not be the lightning capital of the country. That’s Florida. But the latest numbers are out, and Georgia falls into the top ten with more than 8 million lightning strikes in 2022.

That’s a lot of lightning. And scientists say this number is likely to go up even more due to climate change.

Lightning can travel 10 to 12 miles from a thunderstorm. This is often farther than the sound of thunder travels.

Lightning can also travel upwards of 60 feet away from where it makes contact on the ground.

While it’s extremely rare to get struck by lightning, we still had 19 people die by lightning in the United States just last year.

So before you head outdoors… plan ahead.

Check the free WSAV Weather App for the latest forecast. The app will alert you to when there has been a lightning strike nearby.

Look for shelter. Get inside a building or vehicle.

And then stay indoors until 30 minutes AFTER you hear the LAST clap of thunder.

In 2022, men accounted for 80 percent of fatalities. Some were out fishing or boating. Others were working on roofs or landscaping.