New Jersey Golfer Killed By Lightning Strike While Seeking Shelter From Storm

A golfer seeking shelter from a pop-up storm on a New Jersey golf course has died from a lightning strike.

The golfer, who was in his 70s, was on the course at Burlington Country Club in Westampton Township Wednesday when the gray sky suddenly turned violent.

As the victim, whose name was not revealed, was looking for shelter, a bolt of lightning struck a nearby tree, fatally injuring him, Westhampton police said. The incident occurred just 500 yards away from the course's clubhouse.

Investigators are not sure how exactly the golfer got injured. However, the ground in the area was wet due to recent heavy rains and that could have made it a good conductor of electricity, reported CBS 3 Philadelphia.

During the mid-afternoon hours, the weather in the area looked different. The sky at the time was gray but did not seem immediately threatening, another golfer told CBS 3. However, radars around the Westampton/Mt. Holly area picked up a pop-up storm at around 3:30 p.m.

Fortunately, the heavy heat had steered people away from the country club that day, so it was not as busy as usual.

According to the National Lightning Safety Council, it was the first fatal lightning strike in New Jersey since Sept. 7, 2012.

The incident was also the first fatality caused by lightning in the U.S. this year. This was the longest into a year without a lightning-related fatality, The Washington Post said in a report.

John Jenenius, a lightning safety specialist with the National Lightning Safety Council, said, "Based on the past 10 years, the U.S. averages 5 fatalities through June 9th. This year set a record for the latest FIRST fatality of the year."

Storms are unpredictable and can turn violent at any moment without ample warning. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the odds of getting struck by lightning bolts is one to 500,000, even though it is the most common cause of weather-related fatalities. Bolts of lightning are common around noon. About two-thirds of all lightning casualties take place between noon and 6 p.m.