How accurate are lightning strike maps?

How accurate are lightning strike maps?

The detection efficiency (the percentage of the actual strikes that are detected by the network) is reported to be 80\%-90\%. The reported locations of strikes are accurate on average to about 0.5 km.

What is the 30 30 rule for lightning?

Don’t forget the 30-30 rule. After you see lightning, start counting to 30. If you hear thunder before you reach 30, go indoors. Suspend activities for at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder.

How far away is thunder when you hear it?

Thunder can be heard up to 25 miles away, and lightning strikes have been documented to occur as far as 25 miles from thunderstorms – known as a “bolt from the blue.” So if you can hear thunder, you’re close enough to be hit by lightning, and sheltering indoors or in an enclosed car is your safest bet.

How fast is lightning in miles per second?

about 186,000 miles per second
Here’s how: Lightning travels at the speed of light, about 186,000 miles per second.

How are lightning strikes mapped?

Currently, cloud-to-ground (CG) and intra-cloud (IC) lightning flashes are detected and mapped in real-time by two different networks in the United States–the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN), a system owned and operated by Vaisala Inc, and the Earth Networks Total Lightning Network.

How are lightning strikes counted?

If you count the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder, and then divide by 5, you’ll get the distance in miles to the lightning: 5 seconds = 1 mile, 15 seconds = 3 miles, 0 seconds = very close. Keep in mind that you should be in a safe place while counting.

Is it OK to have your AC on during thunderstorm?

Operating your air conditioner during a thunderstorm can lead to some damage to your unit, so it’s best to shut it down when the weather starts acting up. Luckily, humidity and temperature drops when storms roll in, so you’ll get some relief even though your air conditioner is not in use.

Are you safe from lightning in a car?

Fact: Most cars are safe from lightning, but it is the metal roof and metal sides that protect you, NOT the rubber tires. When lightning strikes a vehicle, it goes through the metal frame into the ground. Don’t lean on doors during a thunderstorm.

Does counting seconds after lightning work?

A general rule of thumb to know how far off a bolt of lightning is when you hear thunder, if you count the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder, and then divide by 5, you’ll get the distance in miles to the lightning: 5 seconds = 1 mile, 15 seconds = 3 miles, 0 seconds = very close.

Is counting between lightning and thunder accurate?

What is the speed of sound in seconds?

331.3 meters per second
Sound travels through air at “the speed of sound.” Officially, the speed of sound is 331.3 meters per second (1,087 feet per second) in dry air at 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit).