Matching up nicely to current convection so maybe it is accurate after all
Yes, in general terms it does seem to know when a cell is popping. I still haven't managed to correlate the rings to audible thunder at my location, but I'll keep checking.
I wonder what detection network they are using. The service seems to be provided by a .org, not a .com -- so maybe if they are non-profit that affects their data access.
Plus, I guess there's no reason the detectors would necessarily have to be located in the States.
Another complication: I'm sure every lightning strike's sound pattern is as unique as the proverbial snowflake. Sometimes you can hear thunder from 20 miles away, and other times you don't hear it from flashes right overhead. I bet those nice, symmetrical rings should really be oblong-shaped, with spikes and null areas -- every one of them different.
Interesting tool. Thank you for showing it to us.
And why do I have to keep repeatedly signing in to post?
Post by downeastnc on Jul 16, 2016 15:21:21 GMT -5
I'm sure the rings are just timed out to the speed of sound from the given strike point, like Boz says there are any number of factors that effect the actual thunder. I do find though that when I am at home on the porch and see a bolt the sound usually arrives within a second either side of the ring passing my home so thats not to bad given all the variables.
Cool site ron and his son watch during thunderstorm days. Not sure this is the same one they use but its the best one I've found so far. Shows lightning strike and the thunder wave as it races away from strike.
That is an attractive presentation, but I'm not sure how "real-time" it really is. In the U.S., unlike radar, lightning detection is privately owned and supposedly not available to the public in real time without a hefty subscription fee. (I can't imagine how that was ever allowed to happen, but never mind.) And I can't seem to make what I'm seeing on this lightning map correlate with what I'm seeing on radar, which of course is publicly owned and is in real time. E.g., a few minutes ago I saw a lightning strike depicted about 10 miles west of New Bern…but radar shows nothing west of New Bern at this time. Also, the lightning data is showing nothing (as I type this) within miles of New Bern, even though radar shows an intense echo only a few miles east of New Bern, near Grantsboro.
I once thought about purchasing a lightning subscription, but seem to recall it was a bit too rich for my blood. Given this nation's otherwise sterling level of public weather services, it's really an almost unbelievable lapse. No one's ever been able to explain or justify it to me.
If you have a smartphone you can get it fairly cheap. Radarscope has lightning data as part of its subscription which only costs $10 a year and is definitely worth it for the lightning data and other features it offers. I'll have to check out the link posted and match it up with Radarscope and see how they compare.
Post by snowlover91 on Jul 16, 2016 15:54:08 GMT -5
So I tried my best to get snapshots of both radarscope lightning data and compare it with the lightning map website. Here are the results, I tried my best to make sure it covered the same approximate areas.
Man that area just Southeast of Rocky mount is gonna have serious flash flooding problems. Already getting on 6+ inches of rain. Thats the head waters for the river so i'm sure we will see a nice rise in the river level.
Ah so -- upgrade to slight on the 13Z Day 1. Game on!
You mean storm cancel! It usually seems when SPC gets bullish we don't see much, at least this year it feels that way. The best chance looks like a line from RDU to Greenville and points south based on model output.
Post by snowlover91 on Jul 19, 2016 22:36:58 GMT -5
Pics and video to come but WOW what a storm tonight in Knightdale! It became obvious the storm was going to miss my house so at the last minute I drove a few minutes down the road to a local church and parked under a breezeway they had for shelter. As soon as I arrived in the parking lot hail began pelting the car. I made it to the shelter in time with occasional hailstones bouncing off the concrete. Then the rain stopped, the wind suddenly picked up in the 50-55mph range and hail began bouncing everywhere. Most of it was nickel to half dollar size but a few other ones I saw were golfball size. Power at the church and surrounding areas went out with the worst of the wind/hail lasting maybe 3-4 minutes. All in all probably the best storm I've ever encountered and will be uploading pics and video later tonight! My first storm chase and it was great!