Is lightning near New Orleans right now?
No lightning near New Orleans right now.
Free push alert when lightning approaches New Orleans. Your exact location and alerts live in the app.
Thunderstorm season in New Orleans
New Orleans, LA averages about 67 thunderstorm days a year — roughly 2.7× the national average of 25. Among the cities StrikeCast tracks, New Orleans is the 3rd-most active in its state. Nearby Baton Rouge runs higher still at 74 days. Activity peaks May–September, when Louisiana's warm-season storms fire most often.
- Thunderstorm days/yr
- 67
- Peak season
- May–September
- vs US average
- 2.7×
- Rank in LA
- 3rd
- Metro population
- ~384K
Source: NOAA / WMO climate normals — mean annual days with thunderstorms (1961–2010). City rank reflects the US cities StrikeCast tracks.
Where New Orleans sits
At roughly 62 ft and right on the coast, New Orleans sees storms fed by warm, moist onshore air, so lightning often arrives ahead of the downpour.
NOAA logged 11 notable lightning events within 50 miles of New Orleans since 2015 — including 2 injuries and 3 deaths.
- Elevation
- 62 ft
- Distance to coast
- ~6 mi
- Terrain
- Coastal
Source: Elevation: open-meteo.com · Coastline: Natural Earth · Lightning history: NOAA NCEI Storm Events.
Lightning safety in New Orleans
The safest call in New Orleansisn’t how many storms a year it gets — it’s how close the nearest strike is right now. The 30-30 rule is the baseline: indoors within 30 seconds of thunder, back out only 30 minutes after the last. StrikeCast shows that distance and whether the storm is closing in, so you can act early.
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 New Orleans?
StrikeCast shows the live distance in miles to the nearest strike near New Orleans, updated continuously from NOAA GOES-GLM satellite data, plus whether it is approaching or moving away.
Is it safe to be outside in New Orleans 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 New Orleans?
New Orleans sees the most lightning May–September, averaging about 67 thunderstorm days a year.
Where does New Orleans rank for lightning?
Among the US cities StrikeCast tracks, New Orleans is the 3rd-most lightning-active in LA, at about 67 thunderstorm days a year.
Can I get lightning alerts for New Orleans?
Yes. Get the free StrikeCast app, save New Orleans, and you will get a push alert when lightning approaches — no need to keep the app open.