Is lightning near Miami right now?
~25 minearest strike to Miami↘ Moving away
211 strikes within 100 mi in the last hour.
Free push alert when lightning approaches Miami. Your exact location and alerts live in the app.
Thunderstorm season in Miami
Miami records roughly 72 thunderstorm days in an average year — roughly 2.9× the national average of 25. Among the cities StrikeCast tracks, Miami is the 5th-most active in its state. Nearby Tampa runs higher still at 83 days. Activity peaks June–September, when Florida's warm-season storms fire most often.
- Thunderstorm days/yr
- 72
- Peak season
- June–September
- vs US average
- 2.9×
- Rank in FL
- 5th
- Metro population
- ~442.2K
Source: NOAA / WMO climate normals — mean annual days with thunderstorms (1961–2010). City rank reflects the US cities StrikeCast tracks.
Where Miami sits
Miami sits at about 16 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 48 notable lightning events within 50 miles of Miami since 2015 — including 23 injuries and 6 deaths.
- Elevation
- 16 ft
- Distance to coast
- On the coast
- Terrain
- Coastal
Source: Elevation: open-meteo.com · Coastline: Natural Earth · Lightning history: NOAA NCEI Storm Events.
Lightning safety in Miami
When thunderstorms build over Miami, 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 Miami?
StrikeCast shows the live distance in miles to the nearest strike near Miami, updated continuously from NOAA GOES-GLM satellite data, plus whether it is approaching or moving away.
Is it safe to be outside in Miami 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 Miami?
Miami sees the most lightning June–September, averaging about 72 thunderstorm days a year.
Where does Miami rank for lightning?
Among the US cities StrikeCast tracks, Miami is the 5th-most lightning-active in FL, at about 72 thunderstorm days a year.
Can I get lightning alerts for Miami?
Yes. Get the free StrikeCast app, save Miami, and you will get a push alert when lightning approaches — no need to keep the app open.