Blitzortung – real time lightning strikes around the world
A global network of volunteer-run VLF radio receivers is being used to pinpoint lightning strikes in near real time and display them on interactive maps such as Blitzortung and LightningMaps.org. Commenters explore how the system works technically (GPS-timed signals in the 3–30 kHz band, long‑range propagation in the Earth–ionosphere waveguide), its practical uses for safety alerts and home automation, and its limitations compared with satellite-based mappers. They also highlight tensions around the project’s semi-closed hardware ecosystem and restricted access to historical data, which complicate participation and research despite the data’s nominally open licensing.
Data sources and detection method
- Network uses >500 volunteer lightning receivers plus central servers.
- Each station records ~1 ms of VLF signal at >500 kHz, time‑stamped via GPS with microsecond precision and sent to servers.
- Strikes are located via time‑of‑arrival triangulation across stations; Wikipedia link on Blitzortung’s method is shared.
- VLF propagation in the Earth–ionosphere waveguide allows detection of storms thousands of kilometers away; range depends on direction (west→east) and night vs day.
- Users are impressed that sensors in Europe, US, New Zealand etc. can detect strikes across oceans.
Hardware, coverage, and openness
- Data comes from crowdsourced hardware; users can see nearby detectors on a separate map interface.
- Some say the detector program appears frozen or hard to join; others note a newly released detector but unclear how to obtain it.
- Multiple commenters report being on waitlists for many years and frustrated by limited availability and cost.
- Historic data is restricted to contributors; non‑contributors resort to scraping live data, arguing the data is under Creative Commons / database rights, but legal status is debated.
- Several criticize the model as “open‑but‑not‑really,” while still sympathizing with resource limits.
APIs and third‑party services
- Integration with Home Assistant exists; it proxies data via MQTT to respect Blitzortung’s rule that third‑party apps must not use their WebSocket directly.
- Some avoid building direct client libraries to honor this policy.
- lightningmaps.org and Windy are cited as alternative visualizations using the data; some feel lightningmaps.org has degraded recently.
Use cases and automations
- Common uses: tracking storms for hiking, golf, swimming pools, and general situational awareness.
- Home automation examples include:
- Alerts and rules around showering or using the pool when lightning is approaching.
- Automations that adjust lighting to current weather and announce laundry completion based on power sensing.
- Environment Canada and satellite systems (GOES lightning mapper) are mentioned; satellites are seen as less precise but complementary.
Randomness and extreme events
- People discuss using lightning as an entropy source. Some point to RANDOM.ORG’s atmospheric‑noise approach; others argue lightning timing/location is correlated (e.g., “sympathetic lightning”) and thus weaker entropy.
- A subthread speculates that the VLF network could, in principle, detect nuclear detonations due to strong EMP signatures, though this remains purely speculative in the discussion.
Safety, showers, and risk perception
- Large subthread on whether showering during thunderstorms is dangerous:
- One side: lightning can enter via plumbing or wiring, especially in older or poorly grounded buildings; agencies warn against using showers and corded appliances during storms.
- Other side: actual risk is argued to be extremely low compared with everyday hazards; some cite sparse case reports and worry this overemphasizes rare events (neglect of probability).
- Differences in building codes and grounding across countries are noted; some authorities (e.g., UK) consider showers safe if equipotential bonding is up to standard.
- There is debate on whether time spent engineering elaborate “shower safe” indicators is better spent improving grounding or addressing more likely risks (e.g., slips and falls).
- Many participants ultimately treat avoiding showers during nearby lightning as a low‑cost precaution rather than a major source of fear.
Miscellaneous observations
- Users note constant global lightning activity and suggest 3D visualizations.
- Some mention related citizen‑science projects (e.g., Raspberry Shake for seismology).
- UX issues: a mobile user reports an almost opaque cookie banner blocking the page in some browsers.
- Minor curiosities discussed include the South America flag used on the site and the historical connection between lightning, spark‑gap transmitters, and the word for “radio” in some languages.