diff --git a/src/components/PrecipitationRadar.svelte b/src/components/PrecipitationRadar.svelte
index f42ed2a..9eb7f60 100644
--- a/src/components/PrecipitationRadar.svelte
+++ b/src/components/PrecipitationRadar.svelte
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 <script>
   import { app } from '../lib/stores/app.svelte.js'
   import { saveSettings } from '../lib/storage/db.js'
-  import { fetchLightningStrikes, projectStrikeToLayer } from '../lib/api/lightning.js'
-import { filterStrikesWithinKm } from '../lib/api/lightning.js'
+  import { fetchLightningStrikes } from '../lib/api/lightning.js'
 
   // --- Radar data ---
   let radarData = $state(null)
@@ -23,18 +22,13 @@ import { filterStrikesWithinKm } from '../lib/api/lightning.js'
 
   const loc = $derived(app.selectedLocation)
 
-  // --- Lightning strike layer ---
-  let showLightning = $state(app.settings.showLightning || false)
+  // --- Lightning strikes (fetched for notifications only, never drawn on the map) ---
   let strikes = $state([])
   let lightningError = $state('')
   let lightningLoading = $state(false)
   let lightningTimer = null
   const LIGHTNING_REFRESH_MS = 30_000
 
-  // 25 miles is the max distance a lightning strike is worth showing.
-  const MILES_TO_KM = 1.609344
-  const LIGHTNING_VIEW_RADIUS_KM = 25 * MILES_TO_KM
-
   // --- Load radar metadata ---
   $effect(() => {
     if (loc) {
@@ -63,7 +57,7 @@ import { filterStrikesWithinKm } from '../lib/api/lightning.js'
 
   // --- Lightning layer ---
   async function loadLightning() {
-    if (!loc || !showLightning) return
+    if (!loc) return
     lightningLoading = true
     lightningError = ''
     try {
@@ -86,14 +80,6 @@ import { filterStrikesWithinKm } from '../lib/api/lightning.js'
       lightningLoading = false
     }
   }
-
-  function toggleLightning() {
-    showLightning = !showLightning
-    // Persist the preference; the $effect below drives fetching/timing.
-    app.settings = { ...app.settings, showLightning }
-    saveSettings({ ...app.settings, alertThresholds: { ...app.settings.alertThresholds } }).catch(() => {})
-  }
-
   function startLightningTimer() {
     stopLightningTimer()
     lightningTimer = setInterval(loadLightning, LIGHTNING_REFRESH_MS)
@@ -102,10 +88,9 @@ import { filterStrikesWithinKm } from '../lib/api/lightning.js'
     if (lightningTimer) { clearInterval(lightningTimer); lightningTimer = null }
   }
 
-  // Re-fetch lightning when the selected location or the layer's data source changes.
+  // Re-fetch lightning whenever the selected location or data source changes (notifications).
   $effect(() => {
-    const active = showLightning && loc
-    if (active) {
+    if (loc) {
       loadLightning()
       startLightningTimer()
       return () => { stopLightningTimer() }
@@ -116,15 +101,6 @@ import { filterStrikesWithinKm } from '../lib/api/lightning.js'
     }
   })
 
-  const strikeMarkers = $derived(
-    showLightning
-      ? filterStrikesWithinKm(strikes, loc.lat, loc.lon, LIGHTNING_VIEW_RADIUS_KM).map((s) => ({
-          ...s,
-          ...projectStrikeToLayer(s.lat, s.lon, { zoom, cx, cy, tileSize: TILE_SIZE }),
-        }))
-      : []
-  )
-
   // --- Frame data ---
   const pastFrames = $derived(radarData?.radar?.past || [])
   const nowcastFrames = $derived(radarData?.radar?.nowcast || [])
@@ -252,18 +228,6 @@ import { filterStrikesWithinKm } from '../lib/api/lightning.js'
 <div class="radar-section">
   <div class="radar-title-row">
     <h3 class="section-title">Precipitation Radar</h3>
-    {#if loc}
-      <button
-        class="layer-toggle"
-        class:on={showLightning}
-        onclick={toggleLightning}
-        role="switch"
-        aria-checked={showLightning}
-        title="Toggle lightning strike layer"
-      >
-        ⚡ Lightning
-      </button>
-    {/if}
   </div>
 
   {#if error && !loc}
@@ -311,19 +275,6 @@ import { filterStrikesWithinKm } from '../lib/api/lightning.js'
               />
             {/if}
           {/each}
-
-          <!-- Lightning strike markers (pan/zoom with the map) -->
-          {#if showLightning}
-            <div class="lightning-layer" aria-label="Lightning strikes">
-              {#each strikeMarkers as s (s.time + '_' + s.lat + '_' + s.lon)}
-                <span
-                  class="lightning-strike"
-                  title={'Strike ' + new Date(s.time * 1000).toLocaleString()}
-                  style="left: {s.x}px; top: {s.y}px"
-                ></span>
-              {/each}
-            </div>
-          {/if}
         </div>
 
         <!-- Location marker (scrolls with map via panX/panY) -->
@@ -352,20 +303,6 @@ import { filterStrikesWithinKm } from '../lib/api/lightning.js'
         </div>
       {/if}
 
-      <!-- Lightning layer status -->
-      {#if showLightning && lightningLoading}
-        <div class="lightning-status">
-          <span class="text-xs">⏳ Loading lightning...</span>
-        </div>
-      {:else if showLightning && lightningError}
-        <div class="lightning-status lightning-status-err">
-          <span class="text-xs">⚡ {lightningError} (relay not live yet)</span>
-        </div>
-      {:else if showLightning && strikes.length === 0 && !lightningLoading}
-        <div class="lightning-status">
-          <span class="text-xs">⚡ No recent strikes nearby</span>
-        </div>
-      {/if}
 
       <!-- Zoom controls -->
       <div class="zoom-ctrl">
@@ -436,31 +373,6 @@ import { filterStrikesWithinKm } from '../lib/api/lightning.js'
     gap: 8px;
   }
 
-  .layer-toggle {
-    display: inline-flex;
-    align-items: center;
-    gap: 5px;
-    padding: 5px 11px;
-    font-size: 0.78rem;
-    font-weight: 600;
-    border-radius: 16px;
-    border: 1px solid var(--color-border);
-    background: var(--color-surface);
-    color: var(--color-text-muted);
-    cursor: pointer;
-    margin-bottom: 12px;
-    transition: background var(--transition), color var(--transition), border-color var(--transition);
-  }
-  .layer-toggle:hover {
-    border-color: var(--color-primary);
-    color: var(--color-text);
-  }
-  .layer-toggle.on {
-    background: rgba(250, 204, 21, 0.18);
-    border-color: #facc15;
-    color: #fde047;
-  }
-
   .radar-status,
   .radar-status-err {
     display: flex;
@@ -564,40 +476,6 @@ import { filterStrikesWithinKm } from '../lib/api/lightning.js'
     z-index: 1;
   }
 
-  /* ── Lightning strike layer ── */
-  .lightning-layer {
-    position: absolute;
-    inset: 0;
-    z-index: 2;
-    pointer-events: none;
-  }
-
-  .lightning-strike {
-    position: absolute;
-    width: 8px;
-    height: 8px;
-    margin-left: -4px;
-    margin-top: -4px;
-    border-radius: 50%;
-    background: #facc15;
-    box-shadow: 0 0 6px 2px rgba(250, 204, 21, 0.85);
-    pointer-events: auto;
-  }
-
-  .lightning-status {
-    position: absolute;
-    top: 12px;
-    right: 12px;
-    z-index: 10;
-    padding: 5px 10px;
-    background: rgba(10, 22, 40, 0.8);
-    border: 1px solid var(--color-border);
-    border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
-    pointer-events: none;
-  }
-  .lightning-status-err {
-    border-color: rgba(239, 68, 68, 0.4);
-  }
 
   /* ── Location marker ── */
   .location-marker {