National Weather Digest LIGHTNING DETECTION LIGHTNING DETECTION SYSTEMS: A STATUS REPORT

The proliferation of lightning detection systems (LDSs) in recent years has led to their growing application in mete-orological operations. Pril11{//y lise has de veloped in obser-vations and analysis as input to short-term forecasting. The emerging techniques and technology for ground-based LDSs have offered the opportunity for the first time to obtain a comprehensive picture of lightning activity over large areas of the United States. A great deal still remains to be learned abollt the rela-tionship of lightning to other weather phenomena. No dOllbt much will be learned as LDSs come into greater use, and research and applications are expanded-similarly to the evolutionalY use of radar and satellite data. The National Weather Service and otherfederal agencies have gradually expanded their use of lightning data in recent years. This paper focllses on hOIl ' lightning data is used today, partic-ularly among government agencies, and the plans agencies have forfutllre applications. 1