Summertime can be bad if you're outdoors, male

One of the best things about summer is the chance to get outdoors.

One of the worst things about summer is being outdoors when there's lightning around, especially if you're a man.

That's because 80 percent of lightning fatalities over the past five years were male. Most occur in June, July and August, at ball fields, parks, on the beach and under trees.

That's why this week, June 23-29, has been designated National Lightning Safety Awareness Week.

So far, according to the National Weather Service, seven people have been killed by lightning, all of them outdoors, three of the seven in boats fishing on a lake or river, and one was walking along a beach.

As we move into the Fourth of July holiday, it's especially important that people who are outdoors at picnics, at the lake, playing baseball, attending parades and fireworks be aware of the danger -- especially those in authority to cancel or postpone activities and send others to safety.

Weather information is more available than ever, thanks to Internet, smartphones and even social media. At least one popular weather app includes a link that indicates when lightning strikes are close enough to be dangerous.

For information on lightning awareness, the science of lightning, indoor and outdoor safety, myths and facts, statistics of being killed or injured by lightning and what type of injuries occur with lightning strike victims, visit the National Weather Service site at www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov.

To dig deeper, the National Lightning Safety Institute site at www.lightningsafety.com discusses lightning accidents and incidents, statistics and lightning safety.

Other links include the National Weather Service office in Pueblo, Colorado at www.weather.gov/pueblo/ltg.php or the Goodland National Weather Service office at www.weather.gov/goodland.