Select as required  Please note All data on this website has been taken from various sources including the ARRL, IARU and the RSGB with permission.  The data is provided as a  source of information to radio amateurs and no guarantee to accuracy can be given.  Accordingly, you are recommended to check out all data with the original providers for confirmation of its validity in case of any queries that may arise. Made with Xara Web Designer 6 Lightning LIGHTNING What is lightning? Lightning is the transfer of significant charge between two charged objects. Lightning discharges can occur cloud-to-cloud (C-C), cloud-to-air (C-A), and cloud-to-ground (C-G). Blikseminslagen.com provides online data on cloud-to-ground lightning. Cloud-to-ground lightning has the greatest impact on our everyday lives. A lightning strike can kill, destroy equipment, start fires, and be responsible for as much as 70% of typical power outages. Stroke A lightning event proceeds in several stages the first of which called is "Leaders" which you cannot see. These leaders produce a conductive path to ground that is then used for a large discharge of electrical energy. This discharge is called a "stroke". It is the blinding white flash you see followed by the crash of thunder due to the supersonic expansion of the air as it is heated. The first stroke is often followed by another leader / stroke sequence after a few hundredths of a second. Up to 20 or more sequences of a leader / stroke can occur. and this is why lightning appears to flicker. Flash All of the strokes that occur within one second and within 10 kilometers of the first stroke are grouped together and called a "Flash". This helps group potentially related electrical events into one single event for viewing. Real-time Real-time means the processing of information as it arrives at a central point. A process that does not proceed in "real-time" would perhaps store information before operating on it. In lightning detection systems, the lightning data is communicated from a sensor to a central processing point. Projection The earth is roughly a sphere. To view the spherical earth on the flat screen of a monitor requires a bit of fancy math called a projection. Acronyms EUCLID - European Cooperation for Lightning Detection BLDN - Benelux Lightning Detection Network CELDN - Central European Lightning Detection Network Clicking on the link below shows 2 hours of lightning activity for the region, delayed by 1 hour. All times are in Central European Time (CET). This display is updated every 15 minutes. = Positive Lightning = Negative Lightning To see the updated EUclid map of lightning across Europe and the UK please click here WIND & UK WEATHER On a similar note, if you click on the link below you will be redirected to a useful weather site. The wind page is helpful as you can determine whether you need to lower large masts and towers to prevent serious damage. To see this weather site please click on this line Made with Xara Web Designer 6 RETURN TO TOP