Chicago’s Willis Tower Records Most Lightning Strikes of Any US Building

Posted: August 27, 2021 4:26 pm

A new report is revealing lightning can indeed strike the same place twice. Finland-based Vaisala is a weather data management firm that tracks lightning strikes around the world, compiling data about what buildings and other areas see the most action. Here are some interesting facts about what buildings and airports in the US are most likely to be struck by lightning.

Willis Tower Garners Most Strikes

The skyscraper that garners the most lightning strikes is Willis Tower in Chicago. Although this building ranks third in the country for height at 1,451 feet, it ranks first on the list of most frequently struck buildings.

The Willis Tower was hit 250 times between the years 2015 and 2020. While this building does not carry the distinction of being the tallest skyscraper in the US, it is located in an area more likely to see severe weather. Chicago sees more lightning in general than a city with taller buildings, such as New York City. The height of Willis Tower paired with the high lightning density in Chicago makes it an easy target.

New York City Skyscrapers Top the List

Not surprisingly, two skyscrapers in New York City are also at the top of the list. The One World Trade Center building in Lower Manhattan is the tallest building in the US, rising 1,776 feet into the air. This building was struck 189 times during the measured period.

Knowing that lightning strikes are a concern for skyscrapers of this size, the One World Trade Center is outfitted with a special lightning arrestor technology, designed to protect the inside of the structure. The exterior materials work to distribute electrical currents around the outside of the structure, keeping it from penetrating into the interior. Rather than passing into the interior of the building, the electrical currents are directed into the bedrock below the building.

The nearby Empire State Building was struck 50 times during this period. Earlier this month, lightning struck both the Empire State Building and One World Trade Center at the exact same time.

Other Skyscrapers of Note

The 1,023-foot-tall Bank of America Plaza located in downtown Atlanta recorded 173 lightning strikes. Other skyscrapers that made the list include Houston’s JP Morgan Chase Tower with 75 strikes and Cleveland’s Key Tower with 39 strikes.

What was also interesting was that none of the tallest buildings on the West Coast recorded any strikes. This includes no strikes on the Wilshire Grand Center in Los Angeles, San Francisco’s Salesforce Tower, or the Columbia Center in Seattle. It should be noted that neither of these cities are located in areas that experience frequent thunderstorms, making it less likely that their structures see lightning strikes.

Methodology of Study

In order to compile the data, Vaisala looked at the tallest 50 skyscrapers in the US and narrowed that list down to the tallest in each state. The methodology then compared the top 10 tallest buildings against each other during the time period between 2015 and 2020. The researchers did not look at 2021 data because the year is not complete.

By looking at the recorded lightning events in Vaisala’s database, the researchers were able to determine what buildings were hit most frequently. A lightning strike was recorded if it hit within 500 meters from the center of the building.

Airports Recording Most Lightning Strikes

Another study conducted by Vaisala earlier this year also examined what US airports were the most susceptible to lightning strikes. The study looked at how often each US airport is affected by lightning strikes. This figure was calculated by looking at the number of takeoffs and landings at the airport and multiplying that by the lightning density in that region.

Highest Risks in Two States

What the study found was that the top 10 airports at risk of severe weather and lightning strikes were located in just two states, Florida and Texas. This is not surprising given that both of these states experience severe weather on a regular basis. The state least likely to be home to airports that are impacted by lightning is California.

The airport at the highest risk of lightning strikes is Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Just down the road, Dallas Love Field comes in at fifth on the list. Also in Texas, George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston ranks third on the list. The airport in second place is Orlando International Airport. Miami International Airport rounds out the top five in fourth place.

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