Flying and Thunderstorms: What Really Happens

Pilots Go Around Storms, Not Through Them

Pilots treat thunderstorms with great respect, and they have good tools to spot them. Before the flight, they get a weather briefing for the whole route. In the air, the weather radar in the plane's nose shows storms ahead.

FAA guidance tells pilots to stay at least 20 miles away from strong storms. Air traffic control helps by finding a clear route around them.

So when storms are about, the plane simply takes a slightly longer way round.

"There's a Storm Warning for My Flight"

A storm warning doesn't mean your flight is unsafe. On the day, your pilots and airline check the live weather. A flight only leaves when it's safe to go.

Your airline may also offer to move your flight for free. That's a booking offer, not a safety warning. It just lets people change their plans early.

Why Are We Waiting at the Gate?

When lightning is close to an airport, the teams working outside pause. Loading bags and refuelling stop until the storm has passed. This protects the people working on the ground, not the plane.

Pilots also don't take off or land with a thunderstorm approaching. They wait for it to move on.

The good news: a typical thunderstorm lasts about 30 minutes. A line of storms can take longer. Either way, the wait is the safety system doing its job.

What You Might Notice in the Air

• A turn or a change of height, as the pilots steer around a storm.
• The seatbelt sign, because the air near storms can be bumpy. Bumps are uncomfortable, but the plane is built for them.
• A few gentle circles before landing, while a storm clears the airport. Read why the plane circles before landing.
• Flashes in distant clouds, especially at night. The pilots can see that storm too, and they're keeping their distance.

What About Lightning?

On average, each airliner is struck by lightning about once a year. Planes are built for this. Safety rules require every airliner to be protected from lightning.

The electricity travels along the outside of the plane and leaves again. If it happens, you may see a bright flash and hear a loud bang. Then the flight carries on as normal.

After landing, engineers check the plane as a matter of routine. Read what happens if lightning hits a plane.

The Takeaway

Storms are planned for, watched all the way and steered around. They might mean a wait or a longer route. They don't mean flying through the storm.

Sources

• FAA, Advisory Circular 00-24C: Thunderstorms — stay at least 20 miles from strong storms, and don't take off or land with a storm approaching: https://www.faa.gov/documentlibrary/media/advisory_circular/ac%2000-24c.pdf
• Transportation Research Board, ACRP Report 8: Lightning-Warning Systems for Use by Airports — outdoor ramp work pauses until the lightning has passed: https://crp.trb.org/acrpwebresource2/acrp-report-8-lightning-warning-systems-for-use-by-airports/
• National Weather Service, Hail — a typical thunderstorm lasts about 30 minutes: https://www.weather.gov/ffc/hail
• Airbus, Safety First: Lightning Strikes (November 2023) — each airliner is struck about once a year on average, and the plane is inspected afterwards: https://safetyfirst.airbus.com/lightning-strikes/
• National Weather Service, Lightning and Planes — airliners are built with paths that carry lightning safely: https://www.weather.gov/safety/lightning-planes
• US federal aviation rules, 14 CFR 25.581: Lightning protection: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/25.581
• ABC13 (January 2026), Airlines announce travel advisories, waive flight change fees ahead of Houston winter storm (an example of a weather booking offer): https://abc13.com/amp/post/airlines-announce-travel-advisories-waive-flight-change-fees-ahead-houston-winter-storm/18444566/