Lightning in Orange County, Florida

Frequent to excessive cloud to ground lightning erupted within a cluster of storms over western Orange County between 1530 and 1600 LST. During the next two hours, three homes in Windermere caught fire due to earlier lightning strikes. The first house, damaged by fire, was reported at 1644 LST. One fireman sustained minor indirect injuries due to smoke inhalation while fighting the fire. At 1652 LST, a fire was reported within a large estate home. The fire destroyed the home. A third house fire was reported nearby at 1740 LST and this home was damaged by fire. The following day, shortly before 0900 LST and 15 hours after the lightning storm, another estate home in Windermere caught fire and was destroyed. Fire officials believed that lightning from storms the previous afternoon struck the house and smoldered overnight. One fireman was treated for smoke inhalation while fighting this fire, an indirect, minor injury related to the lightning strike.

A collision of the east coast and west coast sea breeze boundaries occurred to the west of Orlando during the late afternoon. A cluster of storms formed, producing frequent to excessive cloud to ground lightning. Lightning struck four homes within a 1 mile radius of Windermere, resulting in fires. Three of the house fires began within 2 hours of the lightning strikes. The fourth house fire erupted the following morning, after likely smoldering overnight. Two estates homes were destroyed and two smaller homes were damaged in the fires. Two minor indirect injuries resulted from fighting the fires.