Does lightning strike the same place twice?
Yes. Lightning often strikes the same place again and again, especially tall, pointed, isolated objects such as skyscrapers, radio towers and lone trees. Being hit once does not make a spot safe from the next storm.
What's actually true
Lightning often hits the same spot again and again. The old saying 'lightning never strikes twice' is wrong. Lightning follows the easiest path to the ground, and tall, pointed, isolated objects offer exactly that, storm after storm. Skyscrapers, radio towers and lone trees get struck again and again.
Takeaway: A spot that was struck once is not safe. Tall, isolated things attract repeat strikes.
Why people believe it
The saying is older than modern lightning science and sounds like common sense: strikes feel random, so the odds of the same spot twice seem tiny. That intuition works for random events, but lightning is not random about where it lands. It takes the easiest path to the ground, and that path stays the same from one storm to the next. The proverb also survives because it is used about bad luck, not weather, so nobody checks it.
Source
“Lightning often strikes the same place repeatedly, especially if it's a tall, pointy, isolated object.”
National Weather Service (NOAA): Lightning Myths and Facts — National Weather Service (NOAA). Checked on 2026-10-21.