Lightning Map
Where to find Canada’s Lightning Map
The Lightning Map is a layer on our interactive Weather Information map and on the WeatherCAN app that shows where lightning is happening across Canada in real-time. The layer can be toggled on and off on the right-hand side of the map.
For more detailed instructions, read about the layers.
How to use the Lightning Map
When you turn on the lightning layer, you may see brown circles on the map. Each brown circle represents actual lightning strikes. The larger the circle, the more strikes there are at that location.
If you see a brown circle over your area on the map, or if you hear thunder, go to a safe place immediately.
A safe place is either an enclosed building with plumbing and wiring or an all-metal vehicle. Stay there for at least 30 minutes after the last sound of thunder. Remember: When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!
Learn more about Lightning Safety.
How we update the Lightning Map
The Lightning Map is updated every minute.
For the one-hour animation loop, each image will show the lightning strikes from the previous 6 minutes, except for the last frame. The last frame in the loop shows lightning from the previous 6 minutes plus the most recent strikes, up to the minute.
No matter what, if you see lightning or hear thunder it is a warning sign to get to shelter quickly.
When lightning does not show on the map
You might not see lightning on the map because:
- lightning has not occurred in the last hour
- the map has not yet updated
- lightning that does not contact the ground (i.e., in-cloud lightning or cloud-to-cloud lightning) will not show on the map
- the network did not detect the lightning or detect that the lightning struck the ground (as technology improves, this happens less often)
Lightning on the map, but no precipitation (e.g. rain)
If you see lightning on the map but precipitation is not shown on the radar image:
- it might be ‘dry lightning’ – the thunderstorm is not producing precipitation
- the storm might move away, but lightning can still reach you
- we got lightning data before the radar image updated (you might see lightning on the map before the radar catches up)
- the radar is not showing precipitation because the precipitation is in an area where the radar cannot see it (e.g. too far from radar)
- we show all the lightning strikes that happen between each of the 6-minute radar images.
The Lightning Map is not a forecast
We show lightning on the map when actual lightning strikes are detected. Your weather forecast gives you information about the potential for thunderstorms.