Improving Nowcasting and Severe Storm Warning with Real-Time Total Lightning Detection

The Vaisala Thunderstorm Information System enhances weather nowcasting solutions with its seamless combination of modular low frequency (LF) and very high frequency (VHF) lightning detection technologies. This allows complete, rapid, and accurate monitoring of thunderstorm lightning activity.

Predicting and tracking severe weather with total lightning detection
More than 40 national hydrometeorological agencies rely on Vaisala lightning detection networks to help them deliver accurate and reliable nowcasting and forecasting.

Total lightning is a good operational indicator of severe weather due to its:

  • rapid responsiveness to storm dynamics
  • correlation to storm intensity
  • occurrence at a high and typically continuous rate
It provides operational benefits which significantly enhance the warning and decision-making capabilities of observation and nowcasting systems. These benefits include:

  • early identification of thunderstorm cells
  • improved tracking and mapping of storm path and intensity
  • the ability to issue timely and reliable severe weather warnings
Learn more about how the Vaisala Thunderstorm Information System provides data that is crucial to a rapid and effective response to hazardous weather conditions by reading the material attached.
    Application notes
    Scientific Papers
    Success Stories
    Vaisala News Articles
    Recommended Products
    • Automatic Weather Stations 
      • ​Vaisala weather stations gather high-quality, real-time data that is used in a variety of weather observation activities ranging from forecasting to road traffic management.
    • Thunderstorm / Lightning Detection Systems 
      • ​Vaisala's lightning detection and location systems are designed to confidently detect, locate, analyze, display, archive and re-distribute cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning strikes, in real time and off-line.
    • Weather Radars 
      • ​With its new innovative design solutions Vaisala has become a leading supplier of C-band weather radars.
    • Lightning Sensors 
      • ​Vaisala lightning sensors provide critical local lightning information, both for meteorological applications as well as threat data, to facilitate advanced warnings, initiate safety procedures, and isolate equipment when needed.
    • Vaisala Dropsonde RD94 
      • The Vaisala Dropsonde RD94 is a general-purpose dropsonde for high-altitude deployment from a variety of aircraft. Slowed in its descent through the atmosphere by a special parachute, the RD94 measures the atmospheric profiles of pressure, temperature, relative humidity and wind from the point of launch to the surface.