Michigan man killed by lightning in Celebration is Florida’s 6th lightning death of 2026
CELEBRATION, Fla. —
A 20-year-old Michigan man who died after being struck by lightning in Osceola County this week is Florida’s sixth lightning death of the year.
Matthew Jenkins was walking on a path near downtown Celebration Tuesday evening when he was struck, according to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. His family told WESH 2 he had moved to Central Florida just last week to begin the Disney College Program.
Jenkins’ death is the 15th lightning-related fatality in the United States this year, according to the National Lightning Safety Council. Florida’s six deaths account for 40% of the nation’s total so far in 2026.
“On average, the state of Florida over the past 10 years sees anywhere between five or six fatalities, so right now we’re actually around the average of what is usual,” said Will Ulrich, a warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Melbourne.
Florida typically records more lightning fatalities than any other state in the country. One reason, Ulrich said, is the state’s proximity to water.
“We have both the Atlantic to our east and the Gulf to our west. And during the summer months, we see that increase in moisture that leads to daily showers and thunderstorms,” Ulrich said.
According to the National Lightning Safety Council, Florida’s other lightning deaths this year include:
A 41-year-old man who was jet skiing near Fort De Soto in Pinellas County on Aug. 29.A 31-year-old woman and her 2-year-old daughter who were killed while walking from their car to their home in Margate on Aug. 23.A 51-year-old man who was in the water at Fort Myers Beach on July 3.An 18-year-old man who was kayaking on a river in Santa Rosa County on May 31.
“Lightning education, lightning awareness is working, but unfortunately, people are finding themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time and becoming victims to that lightning,” Ulrich said.
Lightning deaths nationwide have dropped significantly since the 1990s and 2000s. Ulrich said they are now about half as common as they used to be.
And while most lightning deaths happen during Florida’s wet season, which runs from May through September, the National Weather Service is also monitoring El Niño, a climate cycle that typically brings wetter conditions and increased storminess to Florida during the fall and winter. That means the threat of thunderstorms could continue into what is typically considered Florida’s dry season.
“We want people to remain aware, not just during the wet season. Lightning can be a threat 365 days out of the year,” Ulrich said.
Ulrich said thunder is typically audible from eight to 12 miles away. So if you’re close enough to hear thunder, you may be close enough to be struck by lightning.
The safest thing you can do is seek shelter immediately in an enclosed building or a hard-topped vehicle. A structure with a roof but no walls is not safe because it only protects you from the rain, not lightning.