December–February
Winter: southern focus
Moist air is more readily available in the southern United States, but strong systems can transport it north and produce winter thunderstorms. Snow, cold and a winter date do not exclude thunder elsewhere.
THE WEATHER, IN FOCUS
Thunderstorm radar.
Follow the clouds. Read the radar. Understand the storm.
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Interactive mapDrag to explore
Precipitation maps may include short-term forecasts. Check the time. This is not lightning detection.About these maps
Check the timestamp inside the map. A blank map does not mean there is no storm.
THE DAYS AHEAD
United States: 7-day weather outlook.
A forecast for the selected place, not for all of the United States. Days and charts use UTC. Today may cover only the remaining hours.
Thunderstorm guidance is incomplete: a day without a thunder symbol is not an all-clear. Use official warnings for safety decisions.
The forecast loads as you reach this section.
How to use this forecast
Weather symbols describe model guidance for a point. “Thunder signal” means at least one displayed forecast interval contains a thunder symbol or a positive thunder probability. “No thunder symbol” is not an all-clear: lightning probabilities are not supplied for every location or every day, and small storms can be missed.
Rain totals add non-overlapping forecast periods. Temperature ranges include supplied interval extremes and available point samples; wind is the highest sampled sustained wind, not a gust forecast. Later days have coarser time steps and greater uncertainty. Check official warnings and radar again before outdoor plans.
Explore daily humidity, dew point, cloud cover and sea-level pressure. Gusts, apparent temperature, clear-sky UV and period probabilities appear only when supplied. Clear-sky UV assumes no clouds; it is not a forecast of actual UV exposure. A pressure change alone cannot establish whether a storm will develop.
Forecast data, attribution & licences · Forecast methods and limitations.
YOUR REGULAR VIEWS
Saved radars.
Open a country and choose Save radar to keep it here on this browser.
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FIND YOUR VIEW
Explore English-speaking countries
THE YEAR AT A GLANCE
Thunderstorm seasons in the United States.
For thunderstorms in the United States, distinguish the US Great Plains, humid southeast, southwestern deserts and separate Alaska and Hawaii regimes. These areas can have different moisture, temperatures and storm triggers on the same day.
Typical regional patterns, adapted to local geography. This is educational guidance, not a forecast for this year's seasons or a measured national lightning frequency.
December–FebruaryWinter: southern focusMarch–MaySpring: contrasting air massesJune–AugustSummer: several storm regimesSeptember–NovemberAutumn: the season is not over
March–May
Spring: contrasting air masses
Moisture, instability and fronts can combine across the central and eastern states. The Plains, Gulf region and Atlantic states have different local patterns; review NWS forecasts for the actual area.
June–August
Summer: several storm regimes
Afternoon storms affect many warm, humid districts. The Southwest has its own summer monsoon influence, while organised storms can continue overnight across the Plains and Midwest.
September–November
Autumn: the season is not over
Storm opportunities shift as fronts return and the continent cools. Warm, humid air ahead of a strong system can still support severe thunderstorms, especially in parts of the central and southern states.
What to watch in the United States
Zoom out to include Canada, Mexico, then follow the actual rain-band movement across successive frames. Borders do not stop weather systems.
Sources and scope · reviewed 25 September 2026
This country page combines the United States regional regional pattern with local geography. Timing shifts between years, elevations, islands and opposite sides of mountains. Rainy seasons do not automatically mean thunderstorms every day. The calendar is a reading aid, not a risk scale.
ZOOM OUT. FOLLOW THE LOOP. LOOK AHEAD.
What is heading towards the United States?
Zoom out to include Canada, Mexico, then follow the actual rain-band movement across successive frames. Borders do not stop weather systems. Use the map’s minus button to widen the view; plus brings you closer. A larger view gives context, not extra radar resolution.
- 01
Find the wider pattern
Zoom out until the approaching rain bands and nearby sea or land are visible. Check the timestamp and whether the frames are observations or model forecasts.
- 02
Follow several frames
Play the provider’s animation. Compare the same rain band over successive frames: is it approaching, weakening, growing or developing repeatedly over one area?
- 03
Check the airflow
Cloud-level winds help steer storms. The wind shown in the daily forecast is near the ground and can differ. Fronts, mountains and new cell development can change the direction.
- 04
Update your plans
Radar helps with the next short period. Use the 7-day outlook for broader planning and check local official warnings. A clear radar image does not prove lightning is absent.
This is a method for reading the map, not an automatic prediction of storm arrival. The country radar remains the opening view; Compare maps adds a draggable map.
Learn about storm movementEXPLAINER · NOT LIVE WARNING STATUS
United States: warning levels
NWS thunderstorm alerts
Watches and warnings describe different situations. Warning damage tags add information; they are not Dutch colour codes.
Watch
Be prepared
Severe thunderstorms are possible in or near the watch area.
Warning
Take shelter
A severe storm is reported or indicated by radar. Follow the warning’s instructions.
Considerable / destructive
Higher damage threats
These tags identify greater wind or hail threats within a Severe Thunderstorm Warning.
Base warnings still require action. Do not wait for a higher tag or a phone notification. A Tornado Warning is a separate product.
Sources and scope
Agency-specific warning explanation. Source review: 25 September 2026.
These are explanations, not active alerts. Always check the official area, issue time, expiry and instructions. Hearing thunder is a reason to take shelter at any warning level.
WHEN YOU NEED MORE THAN A MAP
A little help with the weather.
What should I do?
Choose your situation for practical steps, from home and car to campsite, trail or beach.
How far was that flash?
Estimate the distance from the delay between a flash and thunder. Use only from shelter.
Learn with the storm quiz
Learn lightning safety in six lessons and a final challenge: 44 questions with explanations, practical scenarios and follow-up practice for mistakes.
Read the map layers
A visual guide to the different layers, their colours and what the maps cannot tell you.
BEYOND THE COLOURS
A rain cloud isn’t
the whole story.
Rain radar shows precipitation; satellite imagery shows clouds. Neither tells you whether the next lightning strike will happen near you. If you hear thunder, move to proper shelter.
The maps here come directly from their providers. Check their timestamps and legends, and turn to your national weather service for official alerts.
Make sense of the radarA LITTLE KNOWLEDGE GOES A LONG WAY
Understand the storm.
STORM SAFETY
Stay safe in a thunderstorm
Practical lightning safety: choosing shelter, avoiding exposure and knowing when to go outside again.
Read guideAT HOME
When you are at home
Where to stay indoors during lightning, what to avoid and why a porch is not proper shelter.
Read guideON THE ROAD
Lightning and your car
How an enclosed metal-topped vehicle provides shelter, and why tyres are not the reason.
Read guideCAMPING
Thunderstorms at the campsite
Why a tent is not lightning shelter and what to arrange before an overnight stay outdoors.
Read guideWEATHER ALERTS
Watch or warning?
The difference between a US severe thunderstorm watch and warning, plus where to check official alerts abroad.
Read guideWARNING LEVELS
Weather warning colours explained
Weather warning levels by country: understand local colours, watches, advisories and warnings, with official sources and clear limits on comparisons.
Read guide