NJ Shockingly Leads U.S. in Lightning Fatalities This Year

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Experts warn: if you hear thunder, you're close enough to be struck

I learned something today that honestly surprised me: so far in 2025, New Jersey leads the nation in one particular cause of death that you'd probably never think of.

This particular area has nothing to do with crime, drugs, or even driving, as is often the case.

This one cause of death actually involves Mother Nature.

According to the National Lightning Safety Council, out of all 50 states, New Jersey has had two fatal lightning strikes this year, which ties us for the most, along with North Carolina, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Colorado.

Ohio, Missouri, Texas, Mississippi, and Florida have each recorded one.

Now, when you think about thunderstorms and lightning, New Jersey doesn't exactly stand out as a hotbed of activity. In fact, the National Weather Service actually counted the number of lightning strikes in each state from 2015 to 2019 and then averaged it per square mile. Here's what they found:

1. Florida - 244 lightning strikes per square mile

2. Oklahoma - 213

3. Louisiana - 210

4. Missouri - 158

5. Texas - 154

Clearly, Florida is the lightning capital of America, with an average of nearly 14 million lightning strikes per year. But where did New Jersey rank?

The Garden State is #30 on the list. We record about 280,000 lightning strikes per year, which is about 36 per square mile. Yet, in 2025, we've had the most lightning fatalities.

On July 8th, 28-year-old Simon John Mariani of Franklin Lakes was playing at the Ballyowen Golf Course in Hardyston Township, Sussex County, when he was struck. He died several days later.

That same month, one person was killed in a lightning strike that injured over a dozen people, including several Cub Scouts, at an archery club in Jackson, Ocean County. In that incident, there was no rain falling overhead, but lightning from a storm that was a few miles away struck a tree at the club.

Following that event, Townsquare Media NJ's Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow said, "This is a tragic reminder that every thunderstorm is potentially dangerous. If you can hear thunder, you are absolutely close enough to be struck by lightning."