Montana lightning map
Montana's summer thunderstorms build over the plains and mountains, sometimes producing dry lightning that fuels wildfire across the state.
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Detected from NOAA GOES-19 GLM satellite data. Aggregate count for Montana — your exact location and alerts live in the app.
About lightning in Montana
Montana’s thunderstorms build over the northern Rockies and high plains through the summer, when afternoon heating lifts air along the terrain. Many are dry storms whose lightning starts wildfires across the state’s vast forest and rangeland. Activity runs June through August. With dry lightning striking far from any rain, the live distance to the nearest flash and whether it is approaching are the numbers that matter.
- Thunderstorm days/yr
- 30
- US rank
- #36 of 50
- Peak season
- June–August
State thunderstorm-day normals are provisional (NOAA/NWS); per-city climate data is shown where a station normal is published.
Cities in Montana
Lightning safety in Montana
When storms build across Montana, the distance to the nearest strike matters more than a statewide count. Follow 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. If you can hear thunder, you are already close enough to be struck. 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 push alerts for every place that matters across Montana — home, work, the kids' school.
Your exact location stays on your device. Never shared. Never tracked.
Lightning guides
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm days does Montana get?
Montana averages about 30 thunderstorm days a year, versus a US average near 25 — roughly 1.2× the national norm. Activity peaks June–August.
Where does Montana rank for lightning in the US?
By mean annual thunderstorm days, Montana ranks #36 of 50 states. Rankings use NOAA/NWS climate normals; the live distance and trend on this page come from NOAA GOES-19 satellite data.
When is thunderstorm season in Montana?
Lightning is most frequent June–August in Montana.
How does StrikeCast track lightning in Montana?
StrikeCast reads NOAA GOES-19 GLM (Geostationary Lightning Mapper) satellite data, updated continuously, to show how far away the nearest strike is and whether it is approaching or moving away. Save any place in Montana in the free app to get a push alert when lightning closes in.