Can Lightning Strike The Same Place Twice?

We've all heard the saying: "Lightning never strikes the same place twice."
It sounds believable. After all, lightning is one of nature's most powerful and unpredictable forces. Surely after sending millions of volts through a spot once, it would look elsewhere the next time?
The truth? Lightning absolutely can strike the same place twice, and it happens more often than you might think.
In fact, some places are basically lightning magnets.

Why Does Lightning Strike?

Lightning is caused by the build-up of electrical charges inside thunderstorms. When the difference between these charges becomes strong enough, electricity searches for the easiest path between the clouds and the ground.
That path is usually through tall objects, sharp structures, or areas that allow electricity to travel more easily.
Lightning isn't thinking:
"Oops, I've already been here. Let me try somewhere new."
It simply follows the easiest route.

Why Do Some Places Get Hit More Often?

Tall buildings, mountains, towers and even certain trees are more likely to be struck because they provide a shorter path between the ground and the electrically charged storm clouds.
A famous example is the Empire State Building in New York, which gets struck by lightning many times each year.

South Africa also has its fair share of lightning hotspots. The summer thunderstorms across parts of Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Highveld create ideal conditions for frequent lightning activity.
Some areas can experience multiple strikes during a single storm.

The Science Behind Repeat Strikes

When lightning hits a location, it does not "use up" the electricity around it.
The conditions that caused the first strike may still be there:
The storm is still active
The object is still the tallest point
The electrical charge is still building
The easiest route is still the easiest route
So if a lightning bolt hits a tall building, tower or tree once, there's nothing stopping it from hitting that exact same spot again.

What About The "Same Place" Saying?

The phrase probably became popular because lightning strikes can seem random. A person may watch a storm and see one strike hit an area, then another strike hit somewhere else.
But lightning is not random chaos. It follows physics.
A better saying would be:
"Lightning can strike anywhere... including where it has already been."

Can You Be Struck By Lightning Twice?

Unfortunately, yes.
People have survived multiple lightning strikes, although it is extremely dangerous. A lightning strike can cause serious injuries, burns, heart problems and even death.
The safest place during a thunderstorm is indoors, away from windows, metal objects and plumbing.

The WTF Takeaway

Lightning doesn't care about old sayings. If the conditions are right, it will happily strike the same place twice, or even hundreds of times.
So next time someone says "that never happens," you can tell them the weather has officially entered the chat.
Because when it comes to lightning, nature doesn't follow rules... it makes them.