Here are 7 facts about monsoon season.
Two international park visitors were struck by lightning late Monday afternoon as they were standing near the rim of the iconic Horseshoe Bend in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
The two women were aged 22 and 23, with one being from the Netherlands and the other from Australia, according to the National Park Service.
Both women sustained injuries from the incident and were flown to St. George Regional Hospital in Utah, park officials said.
FILE: Horseshoe Bend.
(Daniel SLIM / AFP / Getty Images)
They urged visitors to be careful while visiting the outdoors and aware of the weather, particularly during monsoon season. This is when strong thunderstorms can produce torrential rain in the Desert Southwest.
The monsoon season runs from mid-June through September in Arizona and from July through September in Utah, the two states where Glen Canyon NRA is located.
FILE: Visitors looking out onto Horseshoe Bend.
(Daniel SLIM / AFP / Getty Images)
“If you hear thunder, you are at risk of getting struck by lightning and should immediately seek shelter in a vehicle or building,” the NPS said.