Over a 30-year time span, lightning has caused about 83 deaths in the United States each year. All thunderstorms produce lightning. Lightning often strikes outside of heavy rain and may occur as far as 10 miles away from any rainfall.
Most lightning occurs within the cloud or between the cloud and the ground.
Lightning results from the buildup and discharge of electrical energy between positively and negatively charged areas. The action of rising and descending air within a thunderstorm separates positive and negative charges. West Virginia experiences thunderstorm activity an average of 30 to 50 days annually. The typical thunderstorm is 15 miles in diameter and lasts 20 to 30 minutes. Nearly 1,800 thunderstorms occur at any moment around the world.