# General information

AccuWeather's Lightning API delivers worldwide lightning strike data sourced from the AccuWeather Lightning Network™ and the GOES East/West GLM satellites. Each strike record includes precise coordinates, timestamp, strike type, and peak current — enabling everything from real-time safety alerts to long-range climate analysis.

:::warning
All Lightning API endpoints are currently in **preview release** and may change at any time without notice.
:::

## Current data

Search for lightning strikes by geographic coordinates — define a point and radius, or specify the northwest and southeast corners of a bounding box. Returned as **GeoJSON**, ready to drop into mapping libraries like Leaflet, Mapbox GL, or Google Maps.

→ See it in action: [Real-Time Lightning recipe](/recipes/lightning-realtime)

## Forecast data

Get lightning probability forecasts by latitude and longitude. Forecasts express the likelihood of at least one lightning strike occurring in **10-minute intervals over a 2-hour window** — useful for weather safety apps, outdoor activity planners, and short-range alerts.

→ See it in action: [Lightning Forecast recipe](/recipes/lightning-forecast)

## Historical data

Search for lightning strikes that occurred more than 120 minutes (two hours) before your query. Access one 24-hour period at a time, with records reaching back to **January 1, 2006**. Data is returned in JSON with embedded GeoJSON geometry — see the [response parameter table](/developers/lightning/parameters#historical-endpoints-response-parameters) for the full schema.

→ See it in action: [Historical Lightning recipe](/recipes/lightning-historical)