US EditionFlorida loses title of most lightning-prone state in US, report finds
Oklahoma averaged 73 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes per square mile, surpassing Florida due to an active storm year and a shift in weather patterns, AEM reported.
- On Jan. 5, 2026, AEM's early-look report found Oklahoma led with 73 flashes per square mile, overtaking Florida as the nation's lightning capital.
- DiGangi said Florida was drier last year after most Atlantic hurricanes stayed out to sea, while Oklahoma had above-average precipitation and many mesoscale convective systems boosting flash density.
- Vaisala's city analysis found Shady Grove, Oklahoma, displaced a Florida city as top lightning hotspot, logging enough last year to lead nationwide, according to AEM's Earth Networks Total Lightning Network.
- John Jensenius reported, `During 2025, there were a total of 21 known lightning fatalities in the United States and its territories`, with Florida leading in deaths at four fatalities.
- Texas recorded more than 13 million lightning flashes, exceeding its average by 1.3 million, while major airports and landmarks faced heavy exposure, and lightning caused at least 11 NFL and NCAA football delays last year.
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24 Articles
The U.S. has a new lightning capital. Florida is no longer it.
Lightning striking behind airplane – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by FTiare There is a new lightning champion in the United States. Oklahoma has overtaken Florida as the lightning capital of the country, a new survey announced Monday, January 5. Last year, Oklahoma overtook the state that has historically led this ranking with about 73 lightning flashes per square mile, “signaling a broader surge in lightning activity across the Great Plains,”…
Florida loses its crown as America’s lightning capital: Which state is at the top?
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A preliminary look at a major national weather report reveals a significant shift in U.S. lightning activity in 2025, with long-standing patterns upended and new regions emerging as hotspots for electrical storms, according to data released by environmental analytics firm AEM.
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