Lightning and Thunderstorm Website

[multihullsailor6]

I have today come across a website for world-wide viewing of lightning and thunderstorms in real time which could be of aid to us long-term sailors:

www.en.blitzortung.org/live_lightning_maps.php

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I have today come across a website for world-wide viewing of lightning and thunderstorms in real time which could be of aid to us long-term sailors:

www.en.blitzortung.org/live_lightning_maps.php

They also do an app for Android phones (they may well do one for iPhones, but I don't have one of those).

 

[maby]

On that subject, am I alone in believing that thunder storms have got a lot less frequent in recent years? Twenty or thirty years ago, we seemed to have several really big storms each year drift across London and the south east. I mean storms that would take ten or fifteen minutes to cross the sky and would be producing a significant lightning bolt every two or three minutes. I can't remember any such storms in the last few years - a bit of heavy rain with one or two isolated lightning strikes, yes, but those epic storms that would run for a long time and produce several dozen thunderbolts, no.

 

[macd]

On that subject, am I alone in believing that thunder storms have got a lot less frequent in recent years?

Impossible to say since people believe all manner of odd things, but I doubt your impression is correct. Extreme weather of all sorts is certainly on the rise in the UK.

This news item would seem to suggest t'storms are not becoming rarer: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/jun/19/storm-frequency-lightning-damage-weatherwatch

This Met Office pdf contains a wealth of general info about thunderstorms, including the science behind the blitzortung data: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct..._2.pdf&usg=AFQjCNE05Z2hKV_yYcUOZ2LOnIu8a72z2w

As to the OP's recommendation, it's also worth using blitzortung in conjunction with grib files set to include CAPE values. (Not all grib viewers support this, but zyGrib certainly does.) CAPE is a measure of vertical atmospheric instability, and thus a useful predictor of the likelihood of t'storms developing in any particular place. There have been a couple of lengthy past threads on thunderstorm monitoring/prediction, some...er, precipitated, by the violent weather around Greece last autumn.

It should be noted, however, that neither CAPE nor real-time lightning info predict the winds associated with thunder cells, which is probably their most destructive element so far as small craft are concerned. Most of the damage last autumn (and generally) wasn't caused by strikes but by violent squalls chucking boats into quays and each other. The prudent approach is thus to presume that all cells are squally, and be pleasantly relieved when they are not.

(CAPE stands for Convective Atmospheric Potential Energy but you don't need to know that to find it useful.)

P.S. There's a lively band of storm cells currently in south-central mainland Europe and looking like heading SE down the northern Adriatic over the next day or so. Stay safe.

 

[sailaboutvic]

I have today come across a website for world-wide viewing of lightning and thunderstorms in real time which could be of aid to us long-term sailors:

www.en.blitzortung.org/live_lightning_maps.php

Good site been using it for a while now .
As Mac say , one on the way south . Richard , Chris its heading your way .

 

[noelex]

I have found this site excellent:

https://www.lightningmaps.org/?lang...;b=;n=0;y=44.8781;x=1.6281;z=7;d=2;dl=2;dc=0;

It allows a more detailed view than some of the others:

 

[RobbieW]

I have today come across a website for world-wide viewing of lightning and thunderstorms in real time which could be of aid to us long-term sailors:

www.en.blitzortung.org/live_lightning_maps.php

Sat 24 is the one I've used for 3 or 4 years now ... http://en.sat24.com/en/it/visual - Italy for example

 

[Chris_Robb]

Sat 24 is the one I've used for 3 or 4 years now ... http://en.sat24.com/en/it/visual - Italy for example

Its quite useful to see the cloud movements as shown on sat24. This shows that the clouds are going NE and do not appear to be going to Croatia.

I will watch the storms this autumn from the comfort of my home - as no more sailing this year . booo.

As Macd says - I use these sites in conjunction with Zygrib - which gives you a much better overview of the situation than a single point forecast like windfinder. The CAPE is especially useful - if everything goes red watch out!

 

[Prima]

I have today come across a website for world-wide viewing of lightning and thunderstorms in real time which could be of aid to us long-term sailors:

www.en.blitzortung.org/live_lightning_maps.php

I don't think the real time is entirely accurate, there's been a storm over Prague this afternoon, and the map data certainly wasn't (and isn't now) reflective of the current conditions - I'd guess it's about an hour behind

Interesting to view all the same

 

[Chris_Robb]

I don't think the real time is entirely accurate, there's been a storm over Prague this afternoon, and the map data certainly wasn't (and isn't now) reflective of the current conditions - I'd guess it's about an hour behind

Interesting to view all the same

The time is UTC London - ie 2 hours behind western europe time. GMT in old money!

 

[Prima]

The time is UTC London - ie 2 hours behind western europe time. GMT in old money!

But hang on, live is live - what time zone I am in shouldn't matter, should it?

 

[Chris_Robb]

But hang on, live is live - what time zone I am in shouldn't matter, should it?

Errrrr. Yes!

 

[Prima]

Errrrr. Yes!

Well you are going to have to explain it to me

"Network for Lightning and Thunderstorms in Real Time" is what it says on the map right now, and the time is 17:13 (19:13 here in Prague)

So what difference does it make that the clock on my laptop says 19:13, and yours says 17:13 - are you saying that I have to wait two hours for the data to come to me?

Seriously, please explain, because now I am confused

 

[Chris_Robb]

Well you are going to have to explain it to me

"Network for Lightning and Thunderstorms in Real Time" is what it says on the map right now, and the time is 17:13 (19:13 here in Prague)

So what difference does it make that the clock on my laptop says 19:13, and yours says 17:13 - are you saying that I have to wait two hours for the data to come to me?

Seriously, please explain, because now I am confused

I said Yes .. your right!

.

 

[whiteoaks7]

I could watch that site for hours - thanks. Also worth remembering dear old grib gives you a CAPE index which is an indication of forthcoming electrical storms - anything above (roughly) 1000 you can expect lightning. We use pocket grib on android and iphone which someone else here recommended. The advantage I suppose is the downloadable file that gives predictions for the next week or so.

 

[Chris_Robb]

I could watch that site for hours - thanks. Also worth remembering dear old grib gives you a CAPE index which is an indication of forthcoming electrical storms - anything above (roughly) 1000 you can expect lightning. We use pocket grib on android and iphone which someone else here recommended. The advantage I suppose is the downloadable file that gives predictions for the next week or so.

Looking at the central Med area for later this week - the CAPE index is sky high, a certain indicator for a VERY thundery end to the week Balearics to Sicily and the south of Italy. Keep checking the lighting sites.....

 

[franksingleton]

The important word in the CAPE acronym is "Potential." A high value does not give a forecast of thunderstorms. It means that, if storms occur, they could well be severe.

See http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthrea...expect-wind-over-and-above-the-forecast/page2 #11.

 

[Chris_Robb]

The important word in the CAPE acronym is "Potential." A high value does not give a forecast of thunderstorms. It means that, if storms occur, they could well be severe.

See http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthrea...expect-wind-over-and-above-the-forecast/page2 #11.

So, Frank. Using the CAPE display alongside rainfall forecast and pressure trends, does not the forecast of low pressure, rain and a high CAPE give good potential for some very nasty storms. - Monday the mess moves on towards the Ionian with SOutherly winds forecast. It will be interesting to follow this through.

 

[franksingleton]

So, Frank. Using the CAPE display alongside rainfall forecast and pressure trends, does not the forecast of low pressure, rain and a high CAPE give good potential for some very nasty storms. - Monday the mess moves on towards the Ionian with SOutherly winds forecast. It will be interesting to follow this through.

That is the point I was making, perhaps obliquely. CAPE cannot be used in isolation. If thunderstorms are expected i.e. If the GMDSS mentions thunderstorms or if the GRIBs are showing rain, then a high CA-E would be a significant warning. I have seen high values but no showers or thunder anywhere near to us.

 

[Chris_Robb]

That is the point I was making, perhaps obliquely. CAPE cannot be used in isolation. If thunderstorms are expected i.e. If the GMDSS mentions thunderstorms or if the GRIBs are showing rain, then a high CA-E would be a significant warning. I have seen high values but no showers or thunder anywhere near to us.

Frank. Sitting at home now with no chance of any more sailing this year. So time to look too much!