Lightning Detection NWA Remote Sensing Committee

Lightning is the second highest cause of weather-related deaths in the United States annually, and produces considerable damage by initiating fires and disrupting communications and power transmission systems. Remote sensing technology is becoming increasingly important in the detection of lightning-producing convective storms. The National Lightning Data Network (NLDN), operated by Vaisala, Inc., provides continuous cloud-to-ground lightning strike data to a variety of government, commercial, and public users. Advanced ground-based systems such as Lightning Detection and Ranging (LDAR) provide a detailed, three-dimensional look at lightning.

A space-based Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS), developed by NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, is flown on the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite. The NWA has strongly recommended implementation of a Lightning Mapper Sensor on GOES. The LMS is being planned as a baseline instrument for GOES-R, scheduled for launch in 2015. Listed below are some links that provide useful information on lightning, including remote sensing capabilities:

General Information

• NASA Lightning Primer (Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL)
• NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL)
• NOAA Lightning Page

Lightning Detection from Space (NASA Marshall, Huntsville, AL)

Lightning Research

• High speed lightning cameras

Realtime Lightning Strike Information

• Air Force Weather Agency (.gov or .mil only)
• Alaska Region
  • Alaska real-time, NWS AAWU, Anchorage
  • Alaska daily totals, Alaska Fire Service
• Aninoquisi Software, Lightning/2000 images from Boltek, Inc
• Canada Lightning Network, Environment Canada
• Intellicast (WSI Corp.)
• Local Lightning Mapper Array (LMA) Networks
  • Washington DC LMA
  • Oklahoma LMA
  • Houston LMA
• NCAR Research Applications Laboratory (noaa.gov or ncar.edu users only)
• U. S. Precision Lightning Network, Inc.
• Vaisala, Inc.
• World Wide Lighting Location Network, University of Washington, Seattle
• WWLLN viewable in Google Earth

Lightning Safety

• Vaisala, Inc
• NOAA - National Weather Service
• National Lightning Safety Institute
• Garden Buildings Direct - U.K. (List of information and safety web resources)

Commercial Lightning Systems and Services (For information only; not an endorsement by the NWA)

• Boltek, Inc.
• Sky Scan, Inc.
• Thorguard, Inc.
• TOA Systems, Inc.
• U. S. Precision Lightning Network, Inc.
• Vaisala, Inc.

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The National Weather Association (NWA) provides this information for the benefit of members and guests. Reference in this Web site to any specific information, commercial products, process, service, manufacturer, or company does not constitute its endorsement or recommendation by the NWA. The NWA is not responsible for the contents of any "off-site" Web page referenced from this Web site. To provide feedback to the NWA staff and volunteers who maintain this page or to ask for further information on this topic, please contact the NWA Remote Sensing Committee
Last modified - March 7, 2010