01Individual Strikes
Live Lightning Strikes, Bolt by Bolt
See every individual lightning strike as it happens, sourced from Xweather's real-time strike network. Click a strike for its peak current in kiloamps, the exact time it occurred, and its type — cloud-to-ground or in-cloud.
- Individual bolt-level strikes, not just density
- Peak current (kA), timestamp, and strike type on click
- Powered by Xweather's real-time lightning network
02Satellite Lightning
GLM Satellite Lightning from GOES-19
BayouRadar also pulls lightning straight from space: the GOES-19 Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) refreshes every minute, giving you a satellite-based view of lightning activity across the entire domain — useful even where ground-based detection is sparse.
- GOES-19 GLM lightning, refreshed every 1 minute
- Full-domain coverage from space
- Complements ground-based strike data
03Density View
Lightning Strike Density & Thunderstorm Tracking
Zoom out for the bigger picture with a nowCOAST-sourced lightning density layer — a heatmap of recent strike activity that makes it easy to spot where thunderstorm activity is intensifying across a region.
- Lightning strike density heatmap (nowCOAST)
- Spot intensifying thunderstorm activity at a glance
- Works alongside live radar and storm cell tracking
FAQ
Lightning Map — Frequently Asked Questions
Does BayouRadar show individual lightning strikes or just density?
Both. You can see every individual strike from Xweather's real-time network — click one for its peak current in kiloamps, exact timestamp, and whether it was cloud-to-ground or in-cloud — or zoom out to a density heatmap for the bigger picture.
What is GLM satellite lightning?
GLM is the Geostationary Lightning Mapper aboard GOES-19. It detects lightning from space across the entire satellite domain, refreshed every minute, which is especially useful where ground-based detection coverage is sparse.
Is the lightning map free?
Yes. Individual strikes, GOES-19 GLM satellite lightning, and the strike density layer are all free with no account required.
