I Can See Clearly Now...

Jeppesen says it's recently started adding lightning weather maps to its lineup of weather products. The lightning data is provided by the US Precision Lightning Network (USPLN), a partnership between TOA Systems and Weather Decisions Technologies (WDT). TOA Systems designed, built and installed the lightning sensors, and WDT distributes the data and provides applications that display the data.

New technology allows the detection of both cloud-to-ground lightning as well as lightning within clouds. Cloud-to-cloud lightning data is highly pertinent to pilots and dispatchers—typically more than 70 percent of all lightning strikes happen within clouds. Before Jeppesen began offering these new weather maps, only cloud-to-ground lightning data was available. By utilizing the latest technologies, Jeppesen is now able to provide a more complete lightning picture to its customers. The new lightning charts rely on 90 sensors across the United States that regularly detect lightning strikes as far away as northern Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, Latin America, northern South America and the eastern Pacific out to Hawaii.

Jeppesen will offer USPLN lightning data as separate maps that are updated every 10-15 minutes as well as lightning data with infrared and visible satellite images. In areas outside of the NEXRAD radar network, lightning data is the best way to determine if convective activity and thunderstorms are present. The display software allows Jeppesen to show past lightning strikes as well as current strikes, so users can see trends in the activity. This is helpful in determining if a thunderstorm is growing or decaying and showing the movement of the active cells.

"The addition of the USPLN lightning data to Jeppesen's weather products is another step in providing the best aviation weather information to our customers," said Mike Cetinich, product manager. "With the recent additions of a NEXRAD forecast product, worldwide turbulence and icing maps, and now the USPLN lightning data, Jeppesen is at the forefront of state-of-the-art aviation weather products. We are committed and solely focused on aviation weather products that add value for the customer, and help them make more informed decisions."

FMI: www.jeppesen.com