Shocking: The Thunderstorm Danger Quiz

On average, lightning causes the most deaths in the U.S., beating out tornadoes and blizzards, among other natural disasters.

A bolt of lightning can reach a billion volts. A gajillion is not a real number.

Lightning bolts can reach 54,000 degrees Fahrenheit (29,982 degrees Celsius).

At any given moment, about 2,000 thunderstorms are taking place on Earth.

Heat lightning is still lighting. You can see it, but the thunderstorm is just too far away for you to hear it.

Lightning can strike as far as 10 miles (16.09 km) away from the rain it's usually accompanied by.

Most lightning strikes occur in the afternoon and early evening, between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m.

The sound of thunder travels 1 mile (1.6 km) per 5 seconds.

A boat's lightning protection system (LPS) includes an air terminal and a bonding system. It does not include a flux capacitor. (That was in the DeLorean time machine.)

Pliny wrote that seals and bay trees are both impervious to lightning, inspiring Tiberius to wear a crown of bay leaves and Augustus Caesar to carry a sealskin.

You should stay inside for 30 minutes after you hear a storm's last thunder clap.

Most lightning casualties in the U.S. occur in Florida, "the sunshine state."

Positive lightning is considered more dangerous than negative lightning. It has a stronger electrical field and a greater flash duration, among other differences.

If lightning hit a tree and then jumped from the tree to you, that would be considered side flash.

About 20 percent of lightning victims die immediately. Most live, although sometimes with health issues.

The metal frame of your car acts like a Faraday cage, keeping lightning's electrical charge on the surface of the car and leaving its contents unmarked.

The name for the study of how lightning affects the body is "keuranopathy."

During a lightning crouch, never lie down. You should, however, put your feet together, squat, tuck your head and cover your ears.

The top of a tower of thunderclouds is often shaped like an anvil. Underneath that may be a cauliflower shape.

Lightning is unpredictable. No one can say with certainty that it always strikes the tallest object, although it often does.