Thunderstorm Tracker – Live Lightning Map
Track thunderstorms, lightning activity and severe weather worldwide with an interactive live radar map.
Thunderstorm and Lightning Live Map
Use the interactive weather map below to explore thunderstorms, radar activity and severe weather across different regions of the world.
Track Thunderstorms and Severe Weather
The Thunderstorm Tracker provides an interactive overview of current weather activity and radar conditions. You can move and zoom the map to explore storms, precipitation and severe weather in different parts of the world.
Weather conditions can change quickly, so radar maps are useful for gaining a broad visual overview of developing storm systems and areas of heavy precipitation.
For tropical cyclones and hurricanes, visit our Hurrikan-Tracker.
What Can the Thunderstorm Tracker Show?
Depending on the selected layer and available data, the interactive map can help you explore several types of weather activity.
Radar
Radar layers can show areas of precipitation and help identify developing storm cells.
Thunderstorms
Severe convective weather can develop quickly and produce heavy rain, lightning, hail and strong winds.
Lightning Activity
Lightning is one of the most visible signs of active thunderstorms and strong electrical activity in storm clouds.
Storm Movement
Map animations can help show how weather systems develop and move across a region.
How Are Thunderstorms Created?
Thunderstorms usually develop when warm, moist air rises into the atmosphere. As the air rises, it expands and cools. Water vapor then condenses into droplets and clouds begin to form.
If the atmosphere is sufficiently unstable, the rising air can continue upward and the cloud may develop into a large cumulonimbus thunderstorm cloud. Inside the cloud, strong updrafts and downdrafts move water droplets, ice crystals and hail particles through different parts of the storm.
Collisions between these particles can create an electrical charge separation inside the cloud. When the electrical difference becomes large enough, a sudden discharge occurs as lightning.
Why Does Thunder Follow Lightning?
A lightning discharge heats the surrounding air extremely quickly. The air expands rapidly and creates a pressure wave that travels through the atmosphere as sound.
Because light travels much faster than sound, lightning is seen before thunder is heard. The longer the delay between the flash and the thunder, the farther away the lightning strike generally is.
Weather Associated With Thunderstorms
Thunderstorms can produce several hazardous weather phenomena, sometimes within a very small area.
Thunderstorms and Shipping
Thunderstorms can create difficult conditions for ships and port operations. Heavy rain, strong wind gusts, lightning and reduced visibility can affect navigation and maritime traffic.
Public weather maps provide a useful general overview, while professional mariners rely on official marine forecasts, onboard systems and operational weather information for navigation and safety decisions.
You can compare current weather conditions with vessel activity using the Schiffsverfolger.
Thunderstorm Safety
Thunderstorms can become dangerous quickly, especially when lightning, heavy rain or strong winds are involved.
Follow Official Warnings
Use alerts and forecasts from official meteorological and emergency authorities when severe weather threatens your area.
Avoid Exposed Areas
Open fields, exposed hilltops and isolated tall objects can increase lightning risk during a thunderstorm.
Seek Appropriate Shelter
A substantial enclosed building is generally safer than remaining outside during active lightning.
Monitor Conditions
Storms can change direction and intensity quickly, so continue following updated official information.
Use Official Weather Information for Safety Decisions
This page is intended as a general visual weather tracking tool. Do not rely on it alone for emergency planning, marine navigation or other safety-critical decisions. Always follow official warnings and forecasts from the responsible weather and emergency authorities.
Thunderstorm Tracker FAQ
Can I track thunderstorms live?
The interactive radar map can help you explore current precipitation and severe weather activity in different parts of the world.
Does the map show lightning?
The available weather layers can provide information related to thunderstorms and severe weather. The exact data shown depends on the selected layer and current map configuration.
How do thunderstorms form?
Thunderstorms develop when warm, moist air rises, cools and forms large storm clouds in an unstable atmosphere.
Why do I see lightning before I hear thunder?
Light travels much faster than sound, so the flash from lightning reaches you before the sound wave from thunder.
Can thunderstorms affect ships?
Yes. Thunderstorms can produce strong winds, heavy rain, lightning and reduced visibility that can affect maritime operations.
Where can I track hurricanes?
Use the Ship-Tracker.org Hurricane Tracker to explore hurricanes, tropical storms and other major tropical weather systems.
