Florida lightning risk
Broward County has the highest lightning risk in Florida, scoring 100 out of 100 — rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded lightning events across Florida have decreased 47% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
NOAA events 2016–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Broward County | 100 | Very High | 21 |
| 2 | Miami-Dade County | 99.9 | Very High | 13 |
| 3 | Lee County | 99.8 | Very High | 7 |
| 4 | Palm Beach County | 99.8 | Very High | 10 |
| 5 | Pinellas County | 99.8 | Very High | 47 |
| 6 | Hillsborough County | 99.7 | Very High | 12 |
| 7 | Polk County | 99.6 | Very High | 1 |
| 8 | Sarasota County | 99.6 | Very High | 4 |
| 9 | Orange County | 99.5 | Very High | 5 |
| 10 | Brevard County | 99.4 | Very High | 10 |
| 11 | Collier County | 99.4 | Very High | 12 |
| 12 | Volusia County | 99.3 | Very High | 13 |
| 13 | Okaloosa County | 99.1 | Very High | 2 |
| 14 | Escambia County | 99 | Very High | 4 |
| 15 | Marion County | 99 | Very High | 9 |
| 16 | Manatee County | 98.8 | Very High | 5 |
| 17 | Duval County | 98.5 | Very High | 46 |
| 18 | Osceola County | 98.5 | Very High | 0 |
| 19 | Charlotte County | 98.2 | Very High | 4 |
| 20 | St. Lucie County | 98.2 | Very High | 1 |
| 21 | Bay County | 97.8 | Very High | 4 |
| 22 | Alachua County | 97.7 | Very High | 5 |
| 23 | Lake County | 97.5 | Very High | 3 |
| 24 | Pasco County | 97.1 | Very High | 7 |
| 25 | Hendry County | 95.8 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 26 | Martin County | 95.8 | Relatively High | 5 |
| 27 | Seminole County | 95.8 | Relatively High | 4 |
| 28 | DeSoto County | 95.7 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 29 | Citrus County | 95.5 | Relatively High | 1 |
| 30 | Highlands County | 95.3 | Relatively High | 2 |
| 31 | Santa Rosa County | 95.3 | Relatively High | 41 |
| 32 | Walton County | 95.1 | Relatively High | 8 |
| 33 | Indian River County | 94.4 | Relatively High | 2 |
| 34 | Columbia County | 94.2 | Relatively High | 2 |
| 35 | Hernando County | 93 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 36 | Sumter County | 92.9 | Relatively High | 4 |
| 37 | Clay County | 92.3 | Relatively High | 9 |
| 38 | St. Johns County | 92.2 | Relatively High | 19 |
| 39 | Levy County | 90.6 | Relatively High | 2 |
| 40 | Okeechobee County | 89.7 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 41 | Hamilton County | 88.8 | Relatively High | 1 |
| 42 | Jackson County | 87.1 | Relatively High | 2 |
| 43 | Monroe County | 87.1 | Relatively High | 2 |
| 44 | Gadsden County | 86.1 | Relatively High | 1 |
| 45 | Glades County | 85.2 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 46 | Putnam County | 83.1 | Relatively High | 4 |
| 47 | Suwannee County | 82.5 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 48 | Bradford County | 79.3 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 49 | Flagler County | 75.9 | Relatively Moderate | 9 |
| 50 | Gulf County | 75.4 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 51 | Taylor County | 75 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 52 | Leon County | 74.9 | Relatively Moderate | 8 |
| 53 | Liberty County | 73.6 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 54 | Hardee County | 71.5 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 55 | Nassau County | 71.5 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 56 | Washington County | 65.6 | Relatively Moderate | 3 |
| 57 | Madison County | 63.7 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 58 | Calhoun County | 63.4 | Relatively Moderate | 2 |
| 59 | Wakulla County | 63.1 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 60 | Holmes County | 61.6 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 61 | Franklin County | 61 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 62 | Gilchrist County | 59 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 63 | Dixie County | 57.1 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 64 | Jefferson County | 53.6 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 65 | Union County | 48.3 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 66 | Baker County | 46.7 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 67 | Lafayette County | 36.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0, December 2025. Scores are 0–100 percentile rankings among all US counties. See the methodology page for definitions. Download the full CSV for all counties.
Lightning risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in Florida:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest lightning risk county in Florida?
Broward County, FL has the highest lightning risk in Florida, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 100 out of 100 (rated "Very High").
How many counties in Florida are rated Very High for lightning risk?
24 of 67 scored Florida counties are rated "Very High" for lightning risk by FEMA's National Risk Index.
What causes lightning risk in Florida?
Lightning risk reflects expected annual losses from cloud-to-ground strikes, which ignite building fires, damage electrical systems, and cause fatalities. Florida consistently leads the US in lightning density. High scores also appear across the Gulf Coast, Southeast, and central Plains, where afternoon convective storms are most frequent in summer months.