This is a seemingly simple question, but there is no single answer that fits everyone. The average annual per capita strike rate in the United States is around 1 in 600,000. However, this DOES NOT mean your odds of being struck are 1 in 600,000. The odds of being struck vary from person to person because they depend on several factors. The most significant are:
- Geographical location and climatology
- Diurnal and annual climatology
- Personal lifestyle/hobbies
Where there is a lot of lightning, there is an increased chance of being struck. The central Florida peninsula from Tampa Bay to Cape Canaveral has the highest lightning concentration in the United States. More than 90% of the lightning in this area occurs between May and October, between the hours of noon and midnight.
During this time of day and year, people in Central Florida who spend a large portion of their lives outdoors (e.g. construction workers, park rangers, golfers, campers etc.) are more likely to be struck than anywhere else in the country.
On the other hand, thunderstorms are uncommon in the Pacific northwest, and are virtually unheard of during the winter months. People in this region who spend much of their lives indoors (e.g. shopkeepers, librarians, bowlers, billiard players, etc.) might win the lottery before they were struck by lightning. It is impossible to assign one single probability to every person.
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