Michigan experiences hundreds of thousands of lightning strikes each year and ranks 25th in lightning density per square mile, according to data from last year.
On early Wednesday, lightning started a fire at Thayer Marine in Jackson. The business burned to the ground.
Lightning strikes in Michigan are on the lower side of the scale because the state gets fewer storms than many others, said MLive Chief Meteorologist Mark Torregrossa.
But the number of people struck by lightning in the state is disproportionately high, he said.
“Michigan is fairly low on the lightning strikes across the country, and that’s what’s always made us say that Michiganders put themselves in places to be struck by lightning,” Torregrossa said.
The popularity of outdoor summer activities in Michigan—like boating, fishing, camping, hiking, golfing and going to the beach— raises the odds and pushes up the statistics, he said.
“We’ve had some cases where 10 or 20 people are all struck by one lightning bolt. It strikes along the beach, travels along the beach and strikes 10 or 20 people,” Torregrossa said.
Getting struck happens more often than people think, and it’s important to take storms seriously, he said.
To stay safe, take shelter in a building or vehicle as soon as you hear thunder, see lightning or notice a storm rolling in. Wait 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder before going back outside, he said.
This story was brought to you as part of a partnership between WKAR and Michigan State University’s Knight Center for Environmental Journalism.