Is lightning near Appleton right now?
Storm season in Appleton peaks May–August.
Free push alert when lightning approaches Appleton. Your exact location and alerts live in the app.
Thunderstorm season near Appleton
Appleton sits in Wisconsin, which averages about 40 thunderstorm days a year — roughly 1.6× the national average of 25. Lightning near Appleton is most frequent May–August.
- WI thunderstorm days/yr
- 40
- Peak season
- May–August
- vs US average
- 1.6×
- Metro population
- ~75.6K
State-level NOAA climatology; a city-specific thunderstorm-day normal isn’t published for every station.
Where Appleton sits
Appleton sits inland at about 794 ft, roughly 581 mi from the coast, where storms tend to travel with the larger weather systems rather than pop up locally.
NOAA logged 14 notable lightning events within 50 miles of Appleton since 2015 — including 1 injury.
- Elevation
- 794 ft
- Distance to coast
- ~581 mi
- Terrain
- Inland lowland
Source: Elevation: open-meteo.com · Coastline: Natural Earth · Lightning history: NOAA NCEI Storm Events.
Lightning safety in Appleton
In Appleton, lightning can strike well ahead of the rain, so a live distance beats waiting for the downpour. Follow the 30-30 rule: shelter when thunder arrives within 30 seconds of a flash, and stay put for 30 minutes after the last rumble. StrikeCast’s nearest-strike distance and approaching or moving-away trend tell you which way the storm is heading.
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 Appleton?
StrikeCast shows the live distance in miles to the nearest strike near Appleton, updated continuously from NOAA GOES-GLM satellite data, plus whether it is approaching or moving away.
Is it safe to be outside in Appleton 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 Appleton?
Appleton sees the most lightning May–August, the height of the regional storm season.
Can I get lightning alerts for Appleton?
Yes. Get the free StrikeCast app, save Appleton, and you will get a push alert when lightning approaches — no need to keep the app open.