Are there thunderstorms today in my area?

Open your state map on Lightning Tracker for recent NOAA GOES East/West GLM optical-flash detections and 24-hour and 7-day totals. Cross-check the NOAA Storm Prediction Center outlook and your local National Weather Service warnings for official forecast and hazard information.

How do I know if a thunderstorm is severe?

The National Weather Service classifies a thunderstorm as severe when it produces hail at least 1 inch in diameter, wind gusts of 58 mph or more, or a tornado. Check weather.gov for official watches and warnings. Lightning detections show electrical activity but do not determine whether a storm meets severe criteria.

What time do thunderstorms usually hit?

In most of the US, thunderstorm activity peaks late afternoon (3–8 PM local time) when daytime heating destabilises the atmosphere. The Gulf Coast and Florida sometimes see early-morning convection driven by sea-breeze convergence and tropical moisture. Mountain West storms peak mid-afternoon during monsoon season (July–September).

Thunderstorms Today — Live US Lightning Activity

Before treating recent activity as a forecast, use the lightning forecast near me guide for the distinction between NWS/SPC outlooks and detections after storms develop.

Where to Check Thunderstorms Right Now

Three sources give you a complete picture of today's thunderstorm activity in the US:

Live lightning maps — show recent processed optical flashes detected in the last 24 hours. Best for "what is happening right now" and identifying active storm cells. Browse our all 50 state lightning maps.
NOAA Storm Prediction Center day-1 outlook — categorical severe risk (Marginal → High) for the next 24 hours. spc.noaa.gov.
Local NWS forecast office page — short-range narrative and watch / warning status.

Historically Active US Thunderstorm Regions

Koehler's peer-reviewed NLDN-based climatology shows the highest-frequency locations in Florida, with a broad active corridor across the Gulf Coast and Southeast. It does not publish a state-average top-10 table. For current activity, check the map where today's forecast and warnings point rather than assuming a historically active region must be stormy now:

See the Koehler (2020) US lightning regions guide for the metric, coverage, and limits behind that climatology.

Today vs Climatology

Live state counters provide recent activity context only. They cannot establish whether activity is above or below climatological normal because the live and historical datasets use different sensors, areas, periods, and metrics:

"Last 24 hours" count — shows recent optical-flash detections in the selected area. It is not directly comparable to the historical NLDN-derived thunderstorm-day metric.
"Last 7 days" count — a rolling weekly tally. Use it for recent context, not as a claim that the week is above or below climatological normal without a matched baseline and method.

What "Thunderstorm" Actually Means

In the Koehler (2020) 1993–2018 NLDN-based contiguous-US climatology used by our US lightning regions guide, a thunderstorm day at a location means a calendar day with at least two National Lightning Detection Network flashes within 10 nautical miles. That location-based day metric is not a total flash count or a state average. Lightning Tracker's rolling state counters show recent processed GOES East/West GLM optical-flash detections, so they cannot be compared directly with the historical climatology.

How to Use Today's Map for Tomorrow's Plans

Lightning maps don't forecast — they record. To plan tomorrow's outdoor work, hike, or drive:

Check SPC day-1 / day-2 outlooks for the severe risk category.
Check the local NWS forecast for chance of thunderstorms.
Use today's lightning map as a sanity check on yesterday's forecast accuracy in your area.
Read the US thunderstorm season guide if you're planning weeks ahead.

Get Real-Time Alerts

For tactical awareness during today's storms, push notifications beat a refreshed map. Open the lightning alert tool for saved-radius setup, delivery limits, and official-warning context.