During the summer, everyday activities, such as afternoon picnics in a park, golfing, or even walking to a car, can become life threatening. Although the typical afternoon thunderstorm moving across Florida is relatively short-lived, about 30 minutes, all thunderstorms have the potential to produce cloud to ground lightning. Because thunderstorms are such a common event during the summer months in Florida, people often fail to take shelter when threatening weather approaches. Those who are outdoors often ignore nature's warning signs, such as thunder, darkening skies, or even flashes of lightning nearby. Studies conducted by the Tampa Bay National Weather Service Office show that people are most often struck under trees, in open areas such as parking lots, fields, airport runways and near vehicles.
Lightning usually strikes the tallest objects, such as trees, or a person standing in a field.
Lightning is also attracted to metal objects such as chain link fences and cars. The inside of an automobile is relatively safe becasue lightning travels over the metal exterior to the ground, but standing next to an automobile is not safe. The summer months of June, July, August, and September have the highest frequency of lightning-related injuries and deaths. Lightning generally occurs between the hours of 900 am and 900 pm. Most people are stuck in the mid-afternoon hours between 300 pm and 400 pm as the typical afternoon thunderstorms reach their peak intensity.