From CBS News: “A new U.S. satellite is mapping lightning flashes worldwide from far above the Earth, which should provide better warning about dangerous strikes….
NOAA scientist Steve Goodman said ground radar sees lots of cloud-to-ground lightning, but this satellite provides more detailed views of lightning within clouds.
For instance, the above video shows lightning flashing over southeast Texas on Feb. 14, 2017, as captured by NOAA’s lightning mapper. The green cross is Houston, and the green dotted lines show the state’s coastline. Processing the scene at 500 frames per second, the mapper could break down the location, intensity and other characteristics of individual lightning strokes.
Cloud flashes can later turn into ground strikes, hitting people like a bolt out of the blue. Scientists say this could add more warning time and improve forecasts and safety information provided to the public.
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More at CBS News
