Is there lightning near me right now?
StrikeCast shows the distance to the nearest lightning strike near you, whether the storm is approaching or moving away, and a live strike map — from NOAA GOES-GLM satellite data across the entire US.
Checking for lightning near your location…
Your exact location and background push alerts live in the free app. Never shared, never tracked.
What “lightning near me” shows
Most lightning maps show a cloud of dots and leave you to guess. StrikeCast answers the one question that matters when you’re deciding whether to head inside: how far away is the nearest strike, and is it getting closer? The distance is measured from your location to the closest recent flash; the trend compares the last few minutes of activity to tell you which way the storm is moving.
Coverage & data
Strikes come from NOAA GOES-GLM — the Geostationary Lightning Mapper aboard the GOES-East and GOES-West satellites — covering the full continental United States in near real time (new data roughly every 20 seconds). GLM detects total lightning (both cloud-to-ground and in-cloud), so you see storms building before the first ground strike. Positions are satellite-derived and shown rounded.
Lightning safety: the 30-30 rule
If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck. Follow the 30-30 rule: when thunder follows a flash by 30 seconds or less, get indoors, and wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before heading back out. A live nearest-strike distance and an approaching trend let you act before the storm reaches you — the whole reason StrikeCast leads with distance, not a strike count.
Pick your city
No location access? Choose a city for its live nearest-strike distance.
Frequently asked
How does StrikeCast find lightning near me?
StrikeCast reads your location in the browser (or you pick a city), then shows the distance to the nearest lightning strike from NOAA GOES-GLM satellite data — total lightning across the entire United States, updated continuously.
How accurate is the nearest-strike distance?
Satellite geolocation is accurate to roughly 8–14 km, so the distance is shown rounded (for example “~12 mi”). It answers the question that matters outdoors — how close is the nearest strike, and is it approaching — rather than a vague city-wide count.
Do I have to allow location?
No. If you decline location, pick your city from the list below to see its live nearest-strike distance. For your exact, continuously updated location and background alerts, use the free StrikeCast app.
Can I get an alert when lightning is near me?
Yes. Get the free StrikeCast app, save your location, and it sends a push alert when lightning approaches — no need to keep the app open.