Every strike, mapped.

Every lightning strike emits a burst of radio energy. Networks of ground sensors — from NOAA’s systems to the community-run Blitzortung project — detect that burst at multiple stations and triangulate the strike’s location within a few hundred meters, in seconds. Satellites add a top-down view: the GOES Geostationary Lightning Mapper watches flash rates across the whole hemisphere.

Flash rate is a storm’s heartbeat. A sudden “lightning jump” — a rapid increase in flashes per minute — frequently precedes severe hail and tornadoes by several minutes, which is why forecasters watch strike-rate trends as closely as radar.

For safety, the rule is simple: if you can hear thunder, you are within strike range. Wait 30 minutes after the last rumble before going back outside. Florida leads the U.S. in strikes — which is exactly why our KMLB radar and the Florida-focused maps above get special attention here.