Lightning activity across the United States reached its highest level in eight years in 2025, according to the Vaisala Xweather Annual Lightning Report 2025, with 252 million lightning strikes recorded nationwide.
The total represents a 20% increase compared with 2024. Globally, Vaisala’s lightning detection network recorded more than 2 billion lightning events in 2025, a 7% decrease year on year. The network captures more than 99% of thunderstorms worldwide, the company said.
The report highlights an unusually early peak in lightning activity. The most active lightning day of the year occurred on April 5, several weeks ahead of the typical May-September lightning season. On that day, 157 severe storms across the contiguous US generated more than 3 million lightning events, alongside 21 tornadoes in the Southeast. According to the report, the total number of strikes recorded on April 5 exceeded the annual lightning totals of the 14 least lightning-prone US states combined.
“While there is no single weather causation for this lightning spike, the event reaffirms a need for increased measures to counteract the adverse effects of lightning,” said Ryan Said, senior scientist at Vaisala Xweather. He added that improved lightning detection has helped reduce lightning-related deaths in the US by nearly two-thirds.
The report also identified a new “lightning capital” for 2025. Shady Grove, Oklahoma recorded 3,005 lightning events per square mile, marking the first time in four years that the title was held by a location outside Texas or Florida.
In total lightning counts, Texas led the nation with 47 million lightning events, reflecting the state’s large geographic area. When adjusted for area, Florida ranked highest for lightning density, with 305 events per square mile. Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas followed.
Beyond regional trends, the report examined the impact of lightning on infrastructure and large public venues. Lightning caused 11 confirmed delays during NFL and NCAA football games in 2025, including the NFL season opener in Philadelphia. The most significant disruption occurred on September 13 at Ross-Ade Stadium in Indiana, where 1,800 lightning events within a 10-mile radius forced a full evacuation and a 90-minute delay.
“Since lightning is the most frequent weather hazard delaying and canceling stadium events, real-time detection buys valuable minutes for stadiums to decide when to stop the event and how to do it safely,” Said explained.
Lightning also continues to pose challenges for the renewable energy sector. The report found that nearly one-third of US wind turbines were struck by lightning in 2025, reinforcing lightning’s role as a leading cause of turbine blade damage, with annual industry costs exceeding $100 million.
Vaisala said the findings underline the importance of real-time lightning monitoring and weather intelligence to support safety, infrastructure protection and operational decision-making.
In related news, Climate variability increasingly affects renewable energy performance, WMO–IRENA report finds
