Climate
California vs New York: Lightning Density
California has lower lightning density than New York.
National Rankings
Where They Rank Nationally
See where both states fall among all 50 states for lightning density.
California
#5 · 3.6 per sq mi
New York
#15 · 18.0 per sq mi
Best
Worst
10 Best States — Lightning Density
Lower is better
#1
Alaska
0.3 per sq mi
Alaska
#2
Washington
2.1 per sq mi
Washington
#3
Oregon
3.1 per sq mi
Oregon
#4
Hawaii
3.2 per sq mi
Hawaii
#5
California
3.6 per sq mi
California
#6
Maine
4.3 per sq mi
Maine
#7
Idaho
6.4 per sq mi
Idaho
#8
Nevada
7.4 per sq mi
Nevada
#9
New Hampshire
7.9 per sq mi
New Hampshire
#10
Massachusetts
9.0 per sq mi
Massachusetts
Selected states
#15
New York
18.0 per sq mi
New York
California ranks 5th and New York ranks 15th nationally for lightning density.
What this means
California vs New York: Lightning Density in context
California's lightning density is 3.6 per sq mi, compared with 18.0 per sq mi in New York. Average lightning events per square mile from the incorporated Vaisala state dataset.
California
3.6 per sq mi
New York
18.0 per sq mi
Difference
14.4 per sq mi
People also ask
California vs New York Lightning Density — common questions
QWhat is California's lightning density?
California's lightning density is 3.6 per sq mi.
QWhat is New York's lightning density?
New York's lightning density is 18.0 per sq mi.
QWhich state has a lower lightning density — California or New York?
California has lower lightning density than New York.
More comparisons: California vs New York
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Data source and freshness
Primary source
Data period
2015–2019 state averages
Dataset reviewed
July 23, 2026
Method note
Average lightning events per square mile; this historical climate measure is not a forecast.