Heat waves bring dangerous and deadly lightning strikes. Here’s how to avoid getting struck

More than 30 people have been injured by lightning strikes during the course of the past two weeks

Amid the nation’s first heat wave of the summer season, lightning killed one honeymooner enjoying the beach in Florida and injured 20 others cooling off on a South Carolina lake.

More than 30 people have been injured by such strikes during the course of the past two weeks, according to AccuWeather. Some 20 people are killed by lightning each year in the U.S., and hundreds more are injured.

Most of those deaths occur in July and usually over the weekend, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes, with the Southeast most at risk. Those who survive strikes can suffer lifelong neurological damage, such as forgetfulness and memory issues, depression, irritability, and personality changes.

The result of the build-up and discharge of static electricity in the atmosphere, a strike can heat the air it passes through to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit: a measurement that’s five times hotter than the surface of the sun.

“Lightning is a serious summertime safety risk that can injure or tragically kill people who are outdoors,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter warned.

Cover photo:  Lightning strikes like this one can pose more of a danger during the hotter summer months. Being prepared and staying in the know is the best way to remain safe (AFP via Getty Images)