NOAA receives first lightning images from GOES-16 satellite

  • The Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) on the GOES-16 satellite allows lightning to be seen from space.
  • Meteorologists can predict thunderstorms more accurately thanks to GLM data.
  • The GLM detects lightning in clouds before they reach the ground, alerting people to the formation of storms.
  • This data is combined with radar information to issue more effective severe weather warnings.
GOES-16 satellite shows lightning

This image shows the rays that the GLM captured during one hour on February 14, 2017. Image - NOAA

Lightning seen from Earth is impressive, but... can you imagine seeing it from space? Now that dream can become a reality, only instead of being in a spaceship, we can enjoy the images without having to leave home thanks to the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) which is on board NOAA's GOES-16 satellite.

Thanks to these images, meteorologists will be able to predict in a much easier way where lightning and lightning will strike.

The GLM is an instrument designed to detect times in a geostationary orbit that transmits data that, until now, had not been available to scientists. The mapper incessantly looks for any flash in the Western Hemisphere, which will help detect storms. This ability is essential to better understand the atmospheric phenomena that occur in our atmosphere, including those that can be caused by Volcanic eruptions.

If there is heavy rain, the data obtained will show whether the storms are losing strength or, on the contrary, intensifying. This data will be combined with other data obtained by radar and other satellites, and will be very useful information to anticipate severe weather., and to issue alerts and notices with more time in advance.

Lightning seen by satellite

This GLM animation shows lightning associated with a system that produced severe thunderstorms and some tornadoes in Texas on February 14, 2017. Image - NOAA

The GLM is also capable of detecting lightning in the cloud, which often takes at least five minutes to hit the ground. That may not seem like much time, but it's crucial to alert anyone engaged in outdoor activities to the storm's formation and thus prevent possible damage. To better understand the impact of these events, it's important to know the types of meteors that can occur in different situations, including those that may be related to volcanic clouds which sometimes generate lightning.

If you want to know more about the GOES-16 satellite, Click here.

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Related article:
Discover Earth from space: Spectacular images from the GOES-16 satellite

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