# Guide

The Lightning API provides current, forecasted, and historical lightning strike data by geographic area.

For full request and response field details, see [Lightning Parameters](/developers/lightning/parameters).

:::note{title="Base URLs"}

- **Production:** api.accuweather.com
- **Development:** apidev.accuweather.com

Examples below use the production host. Swap in apidev.accuweather.com for development.

:::

### Current data

| Endpoint                                                                                     | Description                              |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| [Strikes by bounding box](#lightning-strikes-by-time-interval-and-bounding-box)              | Current strikes within a bounding box    |
| [Strikes by point and radius](#lightning-strikes-by-time-interval-point-and-distance-radius) | Current strikes within a distance radius |

### Forecasts

| Endpoint                                  | Description                     |
| ----------------------------------------- | ------------------------------- |
| [Forecasts by point](#forecasts-by-point) | Lightning probability forecasts |

### Historical data

| Endpoint                                                                                           | Description                  |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------- |
| [Historical by point and radius](#historical-daily-lightning-strikes-by-point-and-distance-radius) | Historical daily strike data |

---

## Lightning strikes by time interval and bounding box

```
https://{baseUrl}/lightning/{version}/{time interval}min/geoposition/points{.format}?apikey={API key}&upperLeft={lat,lon}&lowerRight={lat,lon}&offset={response offset}
```

### Example

```
https://api.accuweather.com/lightning/v1/30min/geoposition/points.geojson?apikey={API key}&upperLeft=38.520,-97.553&lowerRight=36.184,-91.445
```

```json
{
    "type": "FeatureCollection",
    "features": [
        {
            "type": "Feature",
            "geometry": {
                "type": "Point",
                "coordinates": [
                    -92.63433074951172,
                    37.5099983215332
                ]
            },
            "properties": {
                "id": "6a7e0060-ee7b-5568-9d45-c54d97a5d58a",
                "date": "2025-07-17T16:45:52",
                "sourceId": 86,
                "strikeType": "cg",
                "peakCurrent": 173
            }
        },
        {...}
    ]
}
```

## Lightning strikes by time interval, point, and distance radius

```
https://{baseUrl}/lightning/{version}/{time interval}min/geoposition/radius{.format}?apikey={API key}&q={lat,lon}&distanceRadius={radius}&offset={response offset}
```

### Example

```
https://api.accuweather.com/lightning/v1/15min/geoposition/radius.geojson?apikey={API key}&q=41.70832,-74.73312&distanceRadius=25
```

```json
{
    "type": "FeatureCollection",
    "features": [
        {
            "type": "Feature",
            "geometry": {
                "type": "Point",
                "coordinates": [
                    -74.44090270996094,
                    41.79957962036133
                ]
            },
            "properties": {
                "id": "592110c6-dfe0-5d55-b00f-ffef87993263",
                "date": "2025-07-31T15:45:36",
                "sourceId": 84,
                "strikeType": "",
                "peakCurrent": null
            }
        },
        {...}
    ]
}
```

---

## Forecasts by point

```
https://{baseUrl}/lightning/{version}/forecasts/geoposition?apikey={API key}&q={lat,lon}
```

### Example

```
https://api.accuweather.com/lightning/v1/forecasts/geoposition?apikey={API key}&q=38.63,-90.2
```

```json
{
    "latitude": 38.63,
    "longitude": -90.2,
    "initDateTime": "2026-03-30T20:10:00Z",
    "forecasts": [
        {
            "startDateTime": "2026-03-30T20:10:00Z",
            "startEpochTime": 1774901400,
            "probability": 0.0
        },
        {
            "startDateTime": "2026-03-30T20:20:00Z",
            "startEpochTime": 1774902000,
            "probability": 0.0
        },
        {
            "startDateTime": "2026-03-30T20:30:00Z",
            "startEpochTime": 1774902600,
            "probability": 0.0
        },
        {...}
    ]
}
```

---

## Historical daily lightning strikes by point and distance radius

```
https://{baseUrl}/lightning/{version}/historical/geoposition/radius?apikey={API key}&q={lat,lon}&distanceRadius={radius}&startDate={mm/dd/yyyy}&strikeType={ic or cg}&offset={response offset}&details={boolean}
```

### Example

```
https://api.accuweather.com/lightning/v1/historical/geoposition/radius?apikey={API key}&q=28.37,-81.57&distanceRadius=20&startDate=10/27/2025
```

```json
{
    "pageCount": -1,
    "resultsCount": 4933,
    "lightningSummary": {
        "positiveStrikes": 487,
        "negativeStrikes": 732,
        "closestStrike": {
            "type": "FeatureCollection",
            "features": [
                {
                    "type": "Feature",
                    "geometry": {
                        "type": "Point",
                        "coordinates": [
                            -81.57269287109375,
                            28.369831085205078
                        ]
                    },
                    "properties": {
                        "id": "66d48bf7-76f4-523e-a0a4-6b8fbd325ca2",
                        "date": "2025-10-27T21:39:20+00:00",
                        "sourceId": 84,
                        "strikeType": "",
                        "peakCurrent": null
                    }
                }
            ]
        }
    },
    "lightningStrikes": {
        "type": "FeatureCollection",
        "features": [
            {
                "type": "Feature",
                "geometry": {
                    "type": "Point",
                    "coordinates": [
                        -81.67090606689453,
                        28.59685516357422
                    ]
                },
                "properties": {
                    "id": "7390fc2a-122c-5f66-a9f6-655bc7f0979a",
                    "date": "2025-10-27T02:01:47+00:00",
                    "sourceId": 86,
                    "strikeType": "cg",
                    "peakCurrent": -3780000
                }
            },
            {...}
        ]
    }
}
```