Is lightning near Addis Ababa right now?
~132 kmnearest strike to Addis Ababa↘ Moving away
24 strikes within 161 km in the last hour.
Free push alert when lightning approaches Addis Ababa. Your exact location and alerts live in the app.
Thunderstorm season near Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa sits in Ethiopia, where lightning is most frequent June–September. Ethiopia's thunderstorms ride the summer kiremt rains. From June to September, moist air driven up over the high central plateau fires near-daily afternoon and evening storms around Addis Ababa and across the highlands, with a secondary wet spell in spring. The steep terrain builds storms fast and can hide them until they are close, so the live distance to the nearest flash and its trend are the clearest warning — better than thunder rolling across the mountains.
Where Addis Ababa sits
Perched around 2,410 m and roughly 497 km inland, Addis Ababa gets terrain-driven afternoon convection — storms build over high ground and move quickly.
- Elevation
- 2,410 m
- Distance to coast
- ~497 km
- Terrain
- High elevation
Source: Elevation: open-meteo.com · Coastline: Natural Earth.
Lightning safety in Addis Ababa
When thunderstorms build over Addis Ababa, the distance to the nearest strike matters more than a city-wide count. Use the 30-30 rule: if thunder follows lightning by 30 seconds or less, get indoors, and wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before heading back out. StrikeCast surfaces the live distance and trend so you can act before the storm reaches you.
StrikeCast app
Distance, trend & alerts — in your pocket.
GPS-precise distance to the nearest strike, live approaching/moving-away trend, and a push alert before the storm reaches you — no need to keep the app open.
Your exact location stays on your device. Never shared. Never tracked.
Frequently asked
How far away is the nearest lightning to Addis Ababa?
StrikeCast shows the live distance to the nearest strike near Addis Ababa, updated continuously from EUMETSAT MTG-LI satellite data, plus whether it is approaching or moving away.
Is it safe to be outside in Addis Ababa right now?
If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck. Follow the 30-30 rule: shelter when thunder follows lightning by 30 seconds or less, and wait 30 minutes after the last thunder. StrikeCast's distance and trend help you decide before the storm arrives.
When is thunderstorm season in Addis Ababa?
Addis Ababa sees the most lightning June–September, the height of Ethiopia's storm season.
Can I get lightning alerts for Addis Ababa?
Yes. Get the free StrikeCast app, save Addis Ababa, and you will get a push alert when lightning approaches — no need to keep the app open.
Nearby lightning maps
Data: EUMETSAT MTG-LI.