JonathanW Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 All, For those who haven't seen it yet...the Blitzortung lightning detection network developers have recently deployed a realtime lightning strike map (automatically updating, with typical delays from bolt to display of about 3-10 seconds). http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en (Shown with station tracking enabled) The map starts in Europe, but it's a Google map and you can pan it to the U.S. After that, cookies will keep it starting in the same place.I believe this may be the only free, realtime, auto-updating lightning map of its kind for the U.S. available on the Internet (corrections welcome).For those who are unfamiliar with the Blitzortung network, it's a system of VLF time-of-arrival lightning tracking stations run by volunteers who have built and installed standardized individual sensor systems. The systems feed GPS-tagged (location and timing) lightning data to central servers, which is then processed and turned into location/power/time data. The raw data is available for non-commercial purposes free of charge to all network participants. And we need more stations in the U.S.! Right now, we catch maybe 10-20% of bolts, since the stations we have aren't yet dense enough to catch many of the weaker bolts (it usually requires more than four stations to catch a bolt). By comparison, the network in Europe already catches most weak bolts. If you like to solder (I assume everyone here is interested in the weather), the stations are available at cost (no money is made from them) as kits from the developers. The stations have recently undergone a complete redesign and substantial upgrade, and no longer need to be attached to PC's. They're also now capable of both H- and E-field detection. Total cost for stations, including shipping, is generally below $300. I recently joined the network, and construction was completed in less than a day. More info available here and here, with lots of experience from other volunteers. The Blitzortung Facebook page is another good resource. Enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wxmeddler Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 I've known about this network for awhile now and was just waiting until it got better organized here in the US. Looks like it's finally catching on with good web development and semi-streamlined hardware. Might consider taking a dive in this summer as a pet project. Also, just kinda throwing it out there. If this data is getting polled from a central server with just a GPS line and maybe some metadata, it should be relatively easy to make this data into a PHP placefile for use in GR products. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonathanW Posted June 6, 2014 Author Share Posted June 6, 2014 I've known about this network for awhile now and was just waiting until it got better organized here in the US. Looks like it's finally catching on with good web development and semi-streamlined hardware. Might consider taking a dive in this summer as a pet project. Also, just kinda throwing it out there. If this data is getting polled from a central server with just a GPS line and maybe some metadata, it should be relatively easy to make this data into a PHP placefile for use in GR products. I agree - I finished a first cut at one yesterday So far, the raw data is stored in log files that are actually updated less often than the real time map (every minute). I suspect that will change in the future. But even once per minute is pretty good for a placefile. Plus, it will be really easy to turn the data into animations once Placefile 2.0, with time ranges, is released. The one thing to remember is the data is for non-commercial purposes -- people who want to use it to sell a placefile can't do so. But you can certainly roll your own, and as you say, it's REALLY straightforward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dendrite Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 If you're looking to get involved this forum has a lot of information... http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?board=115.0 I see n0ym over there too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonathanW Posted June 22, 2014 Author Share Posted June 22, 2014 Recent additions include new stations in Sonora, Mexico; Mesa, Arizona, and Alberta, Canada. Also, zooming in on the realtime screen map will now show estimated thunder sound fronts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkyOdyssey Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 I've also known about them for a while and see that they've recently gotten a fair amount of attention as the technology and network matures in the US. I intend to add a node with a weather station that will be reporting to CWOP / MADIS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LocoAko Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 This is fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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