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Developer API

Lightning API

Near real-time lightning strike data for the Americas, the Atlantic and the Pacific, as plain JSON from one REST endpoint, updated every 20 seconds.

Start free on lightningapi.dev

Overview What it is

What Lightning API is, and who it is for

Lightning API returns lightning strikes as JSON from a single endpoint with one API key header. Filter by a latitude and longitude box, set alert zones that call your webhook when lightning strikes inside them, and add radar imagery tiles to your own map.

It is built for developers who need lightning data without a sales call: every plan's price is published and you can start free. Teams use it for golf courses, electric utilities, airports, outdoor events and insurance claims.

Features 8 highlights

What it does

  • Storm proximity alerts

    Define a zone and get a signed webhook the moment lightning strikes inside it, free of your monthly quota.

  • Radar imagery tiles

    Live radar as standard map tiles for the continental US, with an allowance on every plan kept separate from API calls. In beta.

  • Radar storm cell tracking

    Storm cells detected from radar reflectivity, so heavy rain and hail show up before the first strike. Pro and up.

  • Cloud-to-ground classification

    Every strike says whether it reached the ground, as a field on the flash record. Pro and up.

  • Predictive storm alerts

    Each cell's heading and speed are projected forward to warn a zone before strikes arrive. Ultimate and up.

  • Storm rotation

    Shows where a storm is turning near the ground and higher up. Ultimate and up.

  • Real-time WebSocket push

    Each new flash is pushed to you as it is detected, instead of polling. Ultimate and up.

  • One endpoint, one dashboard

    A simple REST API with a bounding box filter, and a dashboard where you create and revoke keys yourself.

Pricing Published prices, free to start

Published prices, free to start

  • Pay As You Go: 5,000 free calls a month, then $0.003 a call, up to 100,000 calls
  • Flat-rate plans from $14 a month billed annually (Starter, or $20 billed monthly)
  • Billed monthly: Starter $20, Pro $80, Ultimate $200, Supercell $600
  • Annual billing saves 30%. Cancel any time, with no setup fees.

Enterprise volume pricing is available on request. Full plan details are on lightningapi.dev/pricing.

FAQ Common questions

Questions about Lightning API

Do I need a sales call?
No. Every plan's price is published, and you can sign up and start on Pay As You Go yourself.
Is there an annual discount?
Yes, 30% off Starter, Pro, Ultimate and Supercell when billed annually. Pay As You Go is billed monthly by usage.
Which plans include radar tiles?
All of them, each with its own tile allowance separate from API calls. Coverage is the continental US, and tiles are in beta.
When does my quota reset?
On your own billing anniversary, not a fixed calendar day.
What happens past the free allowance on Pay As You Go?
Calls are billed at $0.003 each, against a spending cap you set yourself.
How do I call it?
Send a GET request to /v1/flashes with your key in an X-API-Key header, with an optional bounding box.

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