Is lightning near Jacksonville right now?
~17 minearest strike to Jacksonville
136 strikes within 100 mi in the last hour.
Free push alert when lightning approaches Jacksonville. Your exact location and alerts live in the app.
Thunderstorm season in Jacksonville
Thunderstorms are a regular feature of the Jacksonville sky: about 68 days a year, roughly 2.7× the national average of 25. Among the cities StrikeCast tracks, Jacksonville is the 6th-most active in its state. Nearby Orlando runs higher still at 82 days. Activity peaks June–September, when Florida's warm-season storms fire most often.
- Thunderstorm days/yr
- 68
- Peak season
- June–September
- vs US average
- 2.7×
- Rank in FL
- 6th
- Metro population
- ~949.6K
Source: NOAA / WMO climate normals — mean annual days with thunderstorms (1961–2010). City rank reflects the US cities StrikeCast tracks.
Where Jacksonville sits
Jacksonville sits at about 20 ft on the coast, where sea-breeze convergence can trigger storms that build fast on summer afternoons — a live nearest-strike distance beats waiting for the rain.
NOAA logged 90 notable lightning events within 50 miles of Jacksonville since 2015 — including 23 injuries and 3 deaths.
- Elevation
- 20 ft
- Distance to coast
- ~15 mi
- Terrain
- Coastal
Source: Elevation: open-meteo.com · Coastline: Natural Earth · Lightning history: NOAA NCEI Storm Events.
Lightning safety in Jacksonville
When thunderstorms build over Jacksonville, 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 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 Jacksonville?
StrikeCast shows the live distance in miles to the nearest strike near Jacksonville, updated continuously from NOAA GOES-GLM satellite data, plus whether it is approaching or moving away.
Is it safe to be outside in Jacksonville 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 Jacksonville?
Jacksonville sees the most lightning June–September, averaging about 68 thunderstorm days a year.
Where does Jacksonville rank for lightning?
Among the US cities StrikeCast tracks, Jacksonville is the 6th-most lightning-active in FL, at about 68 thunderstorm days a year.
Can I get lightning alerts for Jacksonville?
Yes. Get the free StrikeCast app, save Jacksonville, and you will get a push alert when lightning approaches — no need to keep the app open.