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Lightning · Chicago · live

Lightning strikes Chicago: on the map right now

The live lightning map for Chicago, Illinois. In the last 24 hours, 8 lightning strikes within 30 mi of Chicago.

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Forecast
weak cell strong cell storm core strike (minutes old)
As of: 10:00 PM Strikes from the last 10 minutes · storm cells refresh hourly

It opens directly over the city and plots every strike detected nearby in the last minutes, along with the storm cells that produced them. The counter below tells you how many landed inside the area on screen.

Strikes around Chicago right now

Strikes from the last 10 minutes inside the area currently on screen — pan or zoom the map and the count is requested again for the new view.

Strikes
0strikes

in the last 10 minutes, within 19 mi of the map center

Know before the storm gets to you.

This page answers «is it striking now». The app answers «is it coming» — a push notification before the cell arrives, even when the app is closed.

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Conditions in Chicago

Measured values for the city and precipitation hour by hour, in °F and inches.

Chicago
51°
Clear
Clear
0.00 in/h Precipitation
6 mph Wind

Updated

Next 24 hours · Chicago

Updated 10:00 PM
Feels likeWind mphGusts mphPrecip. chance
+24 hoursHour by hour, up to 48 h — in the app
Tomorrow, 30 Fri
Now1 AM4 AM7 AM10 AM1 PM4 PM7 PM
45°42°42°44°50°49°49°48°
671010119811
1522201814111216
—————3%2%5%

Lightning near Chicago: last 24 hours and history

Measured strikes around the city from our own archive, not a model estimate.

Last strike recorded 11 hours ago, 28 mi away.

Last hour
0
Last 24 hours
8
Last 7 days
2
Strikes per day (UTC)
  1. 428 Oct 14
  2. 2 Oct 29

Strikes recorded by the lightning detection network, within 30 mi · data since Oct 9, 2026 · updated every 5 minutes

Other cities

Lightning strikes DetroitLightning strikes WashingtonLightning strikes AtlantaLightning strikes PhiladelphiaLightning strikes New YorkLightning strikes DallasLightning strikes BostonLightning map, United States all cities →

Frequently asked questions

How fresh are the strikes shown around Chicago?
The lightning layer is a snapshot of the last 10 minutes — it is fetched when you switch the layer on, and reloaded when you move the map view substantially, so older strikes drop out on their own. The storm cells underneath refresh hourly; the timestamp under the map tells you which hour is on screen.
How far away is the lightning?
Sound covers about one mile in five seconds, so counting the seconds between the flash and the thunder and dividing by five gives you the distance in miles. The map shows it directly — each bolt sits where the strike was located.
Will this page warn me before a storm reaches Chicago?
No. It shows what is happening at the moment you open it. The app is what pushes a notification ahead of the cell, even while closed. Official watches and warnings come from the National Weather Service at weather.gov.