A half of an inch of rain fell in parts of Dallas County this afternoon, but the skies largely cleared early this evening.

Today’s storms came on the heels of thunderstorms that brought almost 4 inches of rain Tuesday and contributed to the death of a 22-year-old man.

Dexter Leonard was struck by lightning at Joe Pool Lake after showers swept through the area around 7 p.m. Tuesday, Grand Prairie police said.

He’d been with family at Lynn Creek Park when the storm came, and was struck as he rushed to pull food off the grill, Detective John Brimmer said.

Family members, who were hastily packing their car, had their backs turned when it happened.

“They heard a loud boom and saw a flash of light,” Detective Brimmer said. “And when they turned around he was on the ground.”

The Fort Worth man was taken to the Medical Center of Arlington. He died about 12:45 a.m. Wednesday, according to the Tarrant County medical examiner.

The National Weather Service said about 60 Americans die each year from lightning strikes.

Mr. Leonard was the first North Texan killed by lightning this year, said Jessica Schultz, a National Weather Service meteorologist. The most recent deaths before his occurred during storms in May 2007, when two people were struck.

Lightning is caused by ice particles in the clouds interacting with each other. For that reason, Ms. Schultz said, it occurs frequently when warm and cold air collide, producing a volatile atmosphere.

Weather Service readings show that around Joe Pool Lake, there were about 100 lightning strikes an hour during Tuesday’s storm.

“The storms the last couple of days have been quite electrically active,” Ms. Schultz said.

Dallas County escaped the brunt of Tuesday's storms. Only .08 inch was recorded at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. There was less than an inch at Dallas Executive Airport – the most rain recorded in the county.

Other parts of North Texas, however, saw as much as 3.6 inches of rain.

Thursday's weather is expected to be sunny with highs in the upper 90s and no chance of rain, said Nick Hampshire, a National Weather Service meteorologist.

Staff writer Dan X. McGraw contributed to this report.

Be prepared: If you’re planning to be outside, bring a weather radio with you. Be on the lookout for developing thunderstorms, especially in the summer when they can develop quickly.

Don’t wait: Once you hear thunder, seek shelter immediately in a sturdy building or vehicle. Lightning can strike as far as 10 miles away from a storm.

If you are outside: Get out of water. Stay away from trees and other tall objects. Crouch on the ground to make yourself as short and small a target as possible.

If you are inside: A direct lightning strike to a house can send an electrical current through the electric and plumbing systems. Stay off phones and any other electrical equipment. Stay out of indoor pools, showers and tubs. Wait 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder to leave the house.

Source: The National Weather Service