At Skytree, we don’t just build weather-informed software—we translate data into strategic clarity for infrastructure resilience. This year’s Lightning Trends Report combines cutting-edge observations from 2025 with climate science to shed light on a growing but often underappreciated risk vector: lightning activity in a warming world.
With global temperatures rising, the conditions fueling thunderstorms are intensifying. Current research estimates that lightning activity could increase by roughly 12% for every 1°C of global warming. In 2025, we saw a preview of this future, as U.S. lightning activity surged to an eight-year high.
Why Lightning? Why Now?
Lightning is a threat multiplier for climate-exposed infrastructure:
- Energy Infrastructure: In 2025, nearly one-third of all U.S. wind turbines were struck by lightning, contributing to over $100 million in industry-wide blade damage.
- Wildfire Ignition: Increased strike frequency in arid regions continues to be a primary driver for wildfire starts, creating a feedback loop of ecological and economic loss.
- Supply Chain & Operations: Major hubs like Orlando International (MCO) faced the highest lightning exposure among U.S. airports in 2025, while 11 major NFL and NCAA games faced significant delays, including a full evacuation at Ross-Ade Stadium in Indiana.
Key Findings: The 2025 Data
Grounded in 252 million lightning events detected across the U.S. this past year—a 20% increase over 2024—our analysis reveals three major trends:
- Geographic Shifts in Lightning Hotspots
For the first time in four years, the “Lightning Capital” of the U.S. moved outside of Florida and Texas. Shady Grove, Oklahoma, claimed the title for 2025 with a staggering 3,005 lightning events per square mile. While Texas remains the volume leader (47.3 million strikes), the “center of gravity” for intense electrical storms is migrating toward the Great Plains.
- Seasonal Stretching and “Super Days”
Lightning is no longer confined to traditional summer windows. The most active day of 2025 occurred on April 5th, well ahead of the usual peak season. On this single day, over 3 million lightning events were recorded – exceeding the entire annual total of the 14 least-prone states combined. This “seasonal stretch” compresses safe windows for outdoor maintenance and construction.
- Infrastructure-Scale Risk
Our proprietary datasets reveal that exposure is rarely intuitive:
- Public Spaces: Chicago’s Millennium Park was exposed to over 11,000 flashes in 2025, more than any other top-visited U.S. landmark.
- Defense & Energy: Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood) saw over 20,000 flashes, placing immense strain on training schedules and sensitive electronics.
From Data to Strategy
At Skytree, we bridge raw meteorological data and business intelligence. We integrate these 2025 trends into risk-scoring models to give our users predictive insights—anticipating outages, prioritizing infrastructure hardening, and adjusting maintenance schedules based on expanding risk windows.
As climate science continues to refine projections, our tools help infrastructure owners move from reactive responses to proactive resilience. We’re not just watching the storm – we’re helping you build the shelter.
Sources:
- Vaisala Xweather: 2025 Annual Lightning Report (Published January 2026)
- AEM (Earth Networks): 2025 United States Lightning Report (Published January 2026)
- Science Journal: “Lightning intensification in a warming climate”
