Storm Highway by Dan Robinson
Storm chasing, photography and the open roadClick for an important message
Storm Highway by Dan RobinsonClick for an important message

Slow-Motion Lightning CapturesSlow-Motion Lightning Capture Logs, Photos & Videos

By DAN ROBINSON
Editor/Photographer
Important Message 30 Years of Storm Chasing & Photography Dan's YouTube Video Channel Dan's RSS/XML feed

Psalm 97:4 - I began shooting slow-motion lightning footage with a high speed camera in the spring of 2019, mainly at the 1,500 frames per second, 6,000 fps and 10,000 fps settings. These framerates allow the capture of phenomena not visible to normal cameras or the human eye.

Example of a 6,000 frames per second capture of a negative cloud-to-ground lightning flash

Lightning has always been my favorite storm phenomenon, and shooting high speed footage of lightning is one the most enjoyable aspects of storm chasing for me now. I have captured the negative cloud-to-ground lightning attachment process (upward-downward leader connection) twice at 1,500fps and 6,000fps, as well as many upward, downward, positive and negative lightning leaders, recoil leaders, dart and stepped leaders and return strokes.

Virtually all of my lightning chases since 2019 have included slow motion shooting attempts. This page lists all of those chases where I captured a shot worth saving on the high speed camera.

View 1,611 storm chases in 34 years:

by year: 
by type: 
Tornado ChasesLightning ChasesTropical Cyclone ChasesSlow Motion LightningSt. Louis StormsHail ChasesChicago Lightning ChasesAstrophotography ChasesSupercell Chases
Aerial Drone ChasesWinter Weather ChasesCloud FormationsIce StormsFlood ChasesEarthquake ChasesWest Virginia Storms and LightningRainbow EventsWind Events

Catches of the Year:

The following slow-motion lightning chases were designated as Catch of the Year:

2026:

Capture of the birth of a lightning strike at St. Morgan, Illinois.
[ Read more about this chase ]

2020:

July 19: Two of three Gateway Arch lightning strikes captured at 1,500 frames per second..
[ Read more about this chase ]

2019:

March 22: 1,500fps video of upward lightning in Amarillo.
[ Read more about this event ]

[ Important Message ]
 

Notable Slow-Motion Lightning Captures

Slow-motion lightning capture May 4, 2026
ST. MORGAN, IL - Capture of the initiation of a biriectional leader: the birth of a lightning strike.

Supercell chase April 3, 2026
HAVANA, IL - Spectacular supercell structure and intense, close lightning.

Lightning chase April 4, 2025
DELTA, MO - Supercell lightning barrage near Cape Girardeau.

Lightning chase April 27, 2024
OKLAHOMA CITY - Prolific upward lightning event to OKC towers.

Lightning chase April 18, 2024
ST. LOUIS - High-speed camera shot of a close lightning strike.

Thunderstorm observation May 14, 2023
FAYETTEVILLE, IL - Funnel directly overhead in southern Illinois.

Lightning chase April 15, 2023
ST. LOUIS - Upward lightning show from severe storms.

Lightning chase March 31, 2023
LIVELY GROVE, IL - Lightning strikes power lines.

Lightning chase May 21, 2022
ST. LOUIS: - Upward lightning show from St. Louis towers.

Lightning chase July 9, 2021
ST. LOUIS - Upward lightning show to STL TV towers.

Lightning chase June 19, 2021
ST. LOUIS - Supercell lightning barrage at 6,000 FPS.

Tornado intercept May 17, 2021
FORSAN, TX - Tornadoes south of Big Spring, Texas.

Chicago Lightning chase August 10, 2020
CHICAGO - Multiple skyscraper lightning strikes from the Midwest derecho storm.

Lightning chase July 19, 2020
ST. LOUIS - Gateway Arch struck three times during lightning barrage.

Lightning chase May 24, 2020
ST. LOUIS - Lightning in slow motion in the STL metro.

Lightning chase March 1, 2020
ST. LOUIS - Lightning over the Arch and STL metro-east.

Lightning chase April 13, 2019
VICKSBURG, MS - High-speed video of lightning stepped leaders.

Lightning chase March 22, 2019
AMARILLO, TX - Supercells, hail and lightning in the Texas Panhandle.

All Slow-Motion Lightning Captures (136)

March 2019:
Lightning chase 3/22 Lightning TX
Supercell chase 3/23 Supercell OK
Supercell chase 3/24 Supercell IL

April 2019:
Lightning chase 4/7 Lightning MO/IL
Lightning chase 4/13 Lightning LA/MS
Tornado intercept 4/30 Tornado intercept IL

May 2019:
Lightning chase 5/2 Lightning MO/IL
Supercell chase 5/6 Supercells KS
Lightning chase 5/8 Lightning OK
Tornado intercept 5/17 Tornado intercepts NE
Severe thunderstorm chase 5/18 Severe storms OK
Severe thunderstorm chase 5/21 Severe storms KS
Lightning chase 5/22 Lightning OK
Lightning chase 5/23 Lightning TX
Lightning chase 5/24 Lightning TX
Lightning chase 5/29 Lightning MO

June 2019:
Lightning chase 6/1 Lightning MO/IL
Lightning chase 6/4 Lightning MO/IL
Thunderstorm observation 6/12 Thunderstorms MO
Lightning chase 6/14 Lightning IL
Lightning chase 6/16 Lightning MO/IL
Thunderstorm observation 6/21 Thunderstorms MO/IL
Thunderstorm observation 6/22 Thunderstorms MO/IL
Chicago Lightning chase 6/30 Lightning IL

July 2019:
Lightning chase 7/1 Lightning IL
Lightning chase 7/2 Lightning IL
Lightning chase 7/5 Lightning PA
Lightning chase 7/15 Lightning NM

August 2019:
Lightning chase 8/13 Lightning IL/MO
Lightning chase 8/17 Bolts from the Blue IL
Chicago Lightning chase 8/18 Lightning IL
Lightning chase 8/19 Lightning IL
Lightning chase 8/25 Lightning KS
Lightning chase 8/29 Lightning MO
Lightning chase 8/30 Lightning bust IL

September 2019:
Lightning chase 9/8 Lightning MO

October 2019:
Thunderstorm observation 10/10 Thunderstorms IL
Lightning chase 10/21 Lightning MO

November 2019:
Supercell chase 11/26 Supercell IL
Lightning chase 11/29 Lightning MO

March 2020:
Lightning chase 3/1 Lightning MO/IL
Supercell chase 3/2 Supercells MO/IL

April 2020:
Lightning chase 4/24 Lightning IL
Lightning chase 4/28 Lightning IL

May 2020:
Lightning chase 5/5 Lightning IL
Lightning chase 5/24 Lightning MO/IL
Lightning chase 5/28 Lightning IL

June 2020:
Lightning chase 6/3 Lightning MO
Lightning chase 6/30 Lightning MO/IL

July 2020:
Lightning chase 7/8 Lightning IL
Supercell chase 7/15 Supercell MO/IL
Lightning chase 7/19 Lightning MO
Lightning chase 7/21 Lightning MO/IL

August 2020:
Lightning chase 8/9 Lightning IL/MO
Chicago Lightning chase 8/10 Lightning IL
Lightning chase 8/15 Lightning IL

September 2020:
Chicago Lightning chase 9/6 Thunderstorms IL
Thunderstorm observation 9/12 Thunderstorms IL

October 2020:
Lightning chase 10/20 Lightning IL/MO

November 2020:
Lightning chase 11/14 Lightning IL

March 2021:
Lightning chase 3/15 Lightning MO
Supercell chase 3/27 Supercells MO/IL

April 2021:
Lightning chase 4/9 Lightning IL

May 2021:
Lightning chase 5/8 Lightning KS
Lightning chase 5/18 Lightning TX
Tornado intercept 5/26 Tornado intercept KS

June 2021:
Lightning chase 6/12 Lightning IL
Lightning chase 6/18 Lightning IL
Lightning chase 6/19 Lightning MO/IL
Lightning chase 6/21 Lightning MO
Lightning chase 6/25 Lightning IL

July 2021:
Lightning chase 7/9 Upward lightning
Lightning chase 7/29 Lightning IL

August 2021:
Lightning chase 8/9 Lightning MO
Lightning chase 8/23 Lightning MO/IL

October 2021:
Chicago Lightning chase 10/11 Lightning IL
Lightning chase 10/24 Lightning MO

March 2022:
Lightning chase 3/5 Lightning MO
Lightning chase 3/18 Lightning IL

May 2022:
Lightning chase 5/2 Lightning OK
Lightning chase 5/13 Lightning MO
Lightning chase 5/20 Lightning MO
Lightning chase 5/21 Lightning MO
Lightning chase 5/28 Lightning NE
Lightning chase 5/30 Lightning KS

June 2022:
Severe thunderstorm chase 6/17 Severe storms MO/IL

August 2022:
Lightning chase 8/3 Lightning MO/IL

March 2023:
3/31 Severe storms IL/MO

April 2023:
Tornado intercept 4/4 Tornado intercept IL
Lightning chase 4/5 Lightning IL
Lightning chase 4/15 Lightning IL

May 2023:
Lightning chase 5/13 Lightning MO/IL
Thunderstorm observation 5/14 Funnel, lightning MO/IL

June 2023:
Supercell chase 6/15 Supercells OK
Supercell chase 6/24 Supercells IA/MO/IL
Lightning chase 6/30 Lightning MO/IL

July 2023:
Lightning chase 7/12 Upward lightning MO
Lightning chase 7/14 Lightning IL
Lightning chase 7/17 Lightning IL
Lightning chase 7/19 Lightning IL
Chicago Lightning chase 7/29 Upward lightning IL

August 2023:
Lightning chase 8/2 Upward lightning MO
Lightning chase 8/4 Lightning IL
Lightning chase 8/12 Upward lightning MO/IL

September 2023:
Lightning chase 9/5 Lightning MO
Thunderstorm observation 9/26: Thunderstorms MO/IL

February 2024:
Tornado intercept 2/8: Tornado intercept IL

April 2024:
Lightning chase 4/18: Lightning MO/IL
Lightning chase 4/23: Lightning MO
Tornado intercept 4/27: Tornado intercept OK

May 2024:
Lightning chase 5/4: Lightning MO/IL
Supercell chase 5/8: Supercells MO/IL
Tornado intercept 5/19: Tornado intercepts KS

June 2024:
Lightning chase 6/25: Close Lightning IL

July 2024:
Lightning chase 7/16: Lightning IL
Lightning chase 7/23: Close Lightning IL
Supercell chase 7/27: Supercell MO/IL
Lightning chase 7/29: Close Lightning IL

August 2024:
Lightning chase 8/15: Lightning IL
Lightning chase 8/28: Lightning MO/IL

November 2024:
Lightning chase 11/4: Lightning MO/IL

February 2025:
Winter weather chase 2/14: Lightning & Ice IL

March 2025:
Lightning chase 3/19: Lightning IL/IN
Lightning chase 3/23: Close Lightning IL
Lightning chase 3/28: Lightning IL

April 2025:
Lightning chase 4/4: Close Lightning MO
Lightning chase 4/19: Lightning MO
Tornado intercept 4/20: Tornado intercept MO/IL
Supercell chase 4/30: Supercell IL/MO

May 2025:
Lightning chase 5/8: Close Lightning IL

July 2025:
Lightning chase 7/6: Lightning IL
Supercell chase 7/13: Supercells IL

April 2026:
Supercell chase 4/3: Supercell/lightning IL/MO
Lightning chase 4/26: Supercells/lightning KS/MO

May 2026:
Lightning chase 5/4: Lightning IL
Lightning chase 5/4: Lightning/hail IL

View 1,611 storm chases in 34 years:

by year: 
by type: 
Tornado ChasesLightning ChasesTropical Cyclone ChasesSlow Motion LightningSt. Louis StormsHail ChasesChicago Lightning ChasesAstrophotography ChasesSupercell Chases
Aerial Drone ChasesWinter Weather ChasesCloud FormationsIce StormsFlood ChasesEarthquake ChasesWest Virginia Storms and LightningRainbow EventsWind Events

30 Years of Storm Chasing & Photography
Important Message
Dan's YouTube Video Channel
Dan's RSS/XML feed

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Power arcs during storms
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