About Lightning in Missouri
Located at approximately 39°N latitude, Missouri is at the crossroads of the Great Plains and the Mississippi Valley, where converging air masses from the Gulf, the Rockies, and Canada produce both spring severe weather and summer thunderstorms. Thunderstorm frequency varies within state boundaries, so this page does not publish an unsupported statewide annual average or national rank.
In Missouri, frontal boundaries and warm moist air from the south converge across flat terrain. Peak thunderstorm activity occurs during April through August, when conditions align for the most frequent lightning strikes. With a population of 6.2 million residents, storm awareness and lightning safety are important considerations for anyone living in or visiting Missouri.