Lightning — Highlands, Florida

2025-09-22 · near Brighton, Highlands, Florida

Event narrative

Highlands County Sheriff and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers discovered the vehicle and bodies of two men and their hunting dogs on a levee along a canal near Rucks Dairy Road southeast of Brighton in Highlands County. The men had reportedly gone hunting but had not returned, and were discovered two days later. Investigators suspected the fatal lightning strike likely occurred on Monday, September 22, as the men attempted to return to their car for shelter, with the time of the incident estimated from radar and satellite data.

Wider weather episode

Two men were were reportedly killed by an afternoon lightning strike in far southern Highlands County.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (27.2150, -80.9953)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1298450. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.