ORLANDO, Fla. – An electrifying new world record has been confirmed as a “megaflash” stretched several states.
According to World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the longest lightning bolt ever recorded stretched was recorded in the U.S Great Plains at an astonishing 515 miles.
This megaflash started in east Texas and reached all the way to near Kansas City, Missouri, zig-zagging through several strong storm clusters called a Mesoscale Convective System (MCS).
This bolt, which occurred on Oct. 22, 2017, was officially recognized in July 2025 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) after reviewing satellite data.
To give that distance some perspective, that’s about the same as a lightning bolt stretching from Miami, Florida, to Savannah, Georgia.
What’s a “megaflash” anyway?
A megaflash is a unique kind of lightning bolt that travels horizontally for more than 60 miles in one single, continuous strike.
These massive flashes typically occur in large thunderstorm systems, termed Mesoscale Convective System (MCS), that can stretch across hundreds of miles. In the U.S., the hotspots for these type of storms are generally seen across the Great Plains.
They’re rare, dramatic and thanks to modern satellite technology, much easier to detect than they used to be. Recent advances in space-based lightning detection have made it possible to spot these megaflashes, which aren’t noticeable from the ground.
Previous record holders
- April 29, 2020 – A lightning flash spanned 477.2 miles across the southern U.S. (Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas).
- Oct. 31, 2018 – The longest-duration lightning flash lasted 17.1 seconds over northern Argentina.
- June 20, 2007 – Prior to satellite detection, the record was 199.5 miles, observed in Oklahoma.
Analyzing events like this is crucial in helping scientists between understand how these large storm systems evolve. They also highlight how far lightning can actually reach which is often than people might think.
This is another reminder: just because a storm seems far away, it doesn’t mean you’re safe from lightning.