This week is Lighting Awareness Safety Week. The week is designated by the National Weather Service to raise awareness about the dangers of lightning strikes, which cause more deaths each year than tornadoes or hurricanes.
Lightning strikes are possible wherever thunder can be heard and can strike as far as 12 miles away. If you do spot lighting in the area, the NWS says to seek shelter inside or in a hard-topped vehicle.
The National Weather Service reports five lighting-related fatalities so far in 2011, all of which involved outdoor activities.