1,769
Recorded events
64
Counties affected
174
Direct deaths
$111.6M
Property damage
Florida lightning history: 1,769 recorded events across 64 counties between 1996 and 2026.
Decade by decade
Florida lightning history by decade
The 2000s are the busiest decade on record with 710 reported lightning events across Florida. Earlier decades are thinner because systematic reporting for this hazard expanded over time, not because the weather was calmer.
County ranking
Counties with the most lightning events in Florida
| Rank | County | Events | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pinellas County | 175 | 9 | $11.5M | 1996–2025 |
| #2 | Broward County | 133 | 18 | $2.4M | 1996–2024 |
| #3 | Duval County | 110 | 4 | $1.9M | 1996–2025 |
| #4 | Hillsborough County | 108 | 9 | $6.0M | 1996–2023 |
| #5 | Santa Rosa County | 106 | 2 | $1.4M | 1996–2025 |
| #6 | Palm Beach County | 83 | 10 | $20.6M | 1996–2020 |
| #7 | Miami-Dade County | 72 | 8 | $644K | 1996–2023 |
| #8 | Lee County | 57 | 14 | $2.4M | 1996–2022 |
| #9 | St. Johns County | 54 | 3 | $1.7M | 1999–2025 |
| #10 | Okaloosa County | 46 | 5 | $1.4M | 1996–2017 |
| #11 | Polk County | 42 | 7 | $3.1M | 1996–2018 |
| #12 | Escambia County | 42 | 6 | $387K | 1996–2025 |
| #13 | Collier County | 41 | 7 | $5.0M | 1996–2025 |
| #14 | Orange County | 41 | 4 | $5.0M | 1996–2023 |
| #15 | Manatee County | 41 | 4 | $8.9M | 1996–2024 |
| #16 | Flagler County | 41 | 0 | $267K | 1998–2022 |
| #17 | Volusia County | 38 | 7 | $1.8M | 1996–2025 |
| #18 | Brevard County | 37 | 8 | $7.6M | 1996–2024 |
| #19 | Leon County | 37 | 1 | $3.5M | 1996–2026 |
| #20 | Pasco County | 30 | 3 | $934K | 1996–2025 |
| #21 | Marion County | 28 | 2 | $336K | 1996–2026 |
| #22 | Sarasota County | 27 | 3 | $1.2M | 1996–2020 |
| #23 | Charlotte County | 26 | 3 | $1.3M | 1996–2019 |
| #24 | Alachua County | 26 | 0 | $634K | 1996–2025 |
| #25 | Citrus County | 24 | 1 | $788K | 1996–2020 |
Significant events
Deadliest lightning events in Florida
| Date | County | Scale | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 8, 2001 | Escambia County | — | 2 | 0 |
| Jul 6, 1998 | Polk County | — | 2 | 0 |
| Aug 17, 1996 | Collier County | — | 2 | 6 |
| Sep 15, 2022 | Brevard County | — | 2 | 0 |
| Jun 21, 2008 | Walton County | — | 2 | 0 |
| Aug 6, 2012 | Bay County | — | 2 | 0 |
| Sep 23, 2025 | Highlands County | — | 2 | 0 |
| Mar 30, 2001 | Charlotte County | — | 2 | 0 |
| Aug 18, 2005 | Lee County | — | 2 | 1 |
| Aug 16, 1998 | Orange County | — | 2 | 0 |