The Salt Lake Tribune reports lightning strike deaths are rare, but well documented by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s environmental information center.
Overall, Utah has the nation’s highest rate of being struck and killed by lightning.
Utah’s population of 3.5 million is about 1% of the U.S. total. However, the state accounts for just over 2% of the country’s lightning strike deaths between 1996 and 2024.
The National Weather Service estimates that the chance of lightning striking a person in the U.S. in a given year is about one in 1.2 million.
So the odds an average person who lives about 80 years would be struck is about one in 15,000.
About 90% of people struck by lightning survive though many have lasting injuries.
Men are hit more often than women and the National Lightning Safety Council says people 20 to 29 are the most commonly struck.
Most lightning strikes happen during summer leisure activities. Saturday is the most frequent day of the week.