Post by tornado on Jan 11, 2018 9:22:59 GMT -5
"Automated weather products produced by the ITWS include essential safety, windshear and microburst
detection and predictions, storm cell intensity and direction of motion, lightning information,
Here's a recent sample of their "lightning information".
Frederick, Maryland:
METAR KFDK 131247Z 29018G26KT 10SM SCT040 M06/M18 A2985
METAR KFDK 131150Z AUTO 28019G24KT 10SM SCT040 M06/M17 A2984
RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E
METAR KFDK 131145Z AUTO 28018G26KT 10SM SCT040 M06/M17 A2983
RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E
METAR KFDK 131125Z AUTO 28015G25KT 10SM SCT040 M06/M17 A2982
RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E
METAR KFDK 131105Z AUTO 28016G25KT 10SM SCT047 M06/M17 A2981
RMK AO2
METAR KFDK 131045Z AUTO 28012G21KT 10SM BKN047 M06/M17 A2981
RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E
METAR KFDK 131025Z AUTO 28018G23KT 10SM SCT047 M06/M18 A2981
RMK AO2
METAR KFDK 131005Z AUTO 29018G25KT 10SM CLR M06/M18 A2980
RMK AO2
METAR KFDK 130945Z AUTO 27016KT 10SM CLR M06/M18 A2980 RMK
AO2 LTG DSNT E
METAR KFDK 130925Z AUTO 29012G19KT 250V310 10SM CLR M06/M18
A2979 RMK AO2
METAR KFDK 130905Z AUTO 27017G21KT 10SM CLR M06/M18 A2980
RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E
METAR KFDK 130845Z AUTO 29015G19KT 10SM SCT050 M06/M18 A2979
RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E
METAR KFDK 130825Z AUTO 29008KT 10SM SCT050 M06/M18 A2980
RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E
METAR KFDK 130805Z AUTO 29014G20KT 10SM SCT050 M06/M18 A2980
RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E
METAR KFDK 130745Z AUTO 29011KT 10SM CLR M06/M17 A2979 RMK
AO2 LTG DSNT E
METAR KFDK 130725Z AUTO 28012G20KT 10SM CLR M06/M18 A2979
RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E
METAR KFDK 130705Z AUTO 29011G26KT 10SM SCT048 SCT060 M05/M18
A2978 RMK AO2
METAR KFDK 130645Z AUTO 29014G25KT 10SM BKN048 BKN065 M05/M17
A2978 RMK AO2
METAR KFDK 130625Z AUTO 30015G27KT 10SM BKN050 OVC060 M05/M18
A2977 RMK AO2
METAR KFDK 130605Z AUTO 29019G28KT 10SM BKN050 OVC060 M05/M17
A2977 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E AND SE
METAR KFDK 130545Z AUTO 30014G24KT 10SM SCT050 OVC060 M05/M18
A2976 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E
METAR KFDK 130525Z AUTO 30016G25KT 10SM OVC050 M05/M17 A2976
RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E
METAR KFDK 130505Z AUTO 28015G20KT 10SM BKN050 M05/M17 A2977
RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E AND SE
METAR KFDK 130445Z AUTO 30015G22KT 10SM SCT050 M05/M18 A2976
RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SE
METAR KFDK 130425Z AUTO 31013G29KT 10SM VCTS BKN055 M05/M18
A2976 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E AND SE
METAR KFDK 130405Z AUTO 30015G21KT 10SM SCT049 BKN055 M04/M17
A2976 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E
METAR KFDK 130345Z AUTO 30014G21KT 10SM -SN SCT049 SCT060
M05/M16 A2975 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SE
METAR KFDK 130325Z AUTO 30013G27KT 10SM -SN SCT034 SCT049
BKN060 M04/M15 A2976 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E AND SE
METAR KFDK 130305Z AUTO 30012G22KT 10SM SCT040 BKN050 BKN060
M04/M15 A2976 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E AND SE
METAR KFDK 130245Z AUTO 30014G31KT 10SM SCT037 SCT044 SCT050
M04/M14 A2976 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E AND SE
METAR KFDK 130225Z AUTO 29014G25KT 7SM -SN SCT037 SCT044
OVC055 M03/M12 A2975 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E
METAR KFDK 130205Z AUTO 29014G23KT 10SM -SN BKN060 M03/M15
A2975 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT E AND SE
METAR KFDK 130147Z 30015G25KT 10SM SKC M03/M01 A2975
In most of the observations overnight while LAWRS was signed off, ALDARS reported LTG DSNT (usually E but also SE).
If accurate, that would mean lightning was striking 10-30 miles from the airport, nearly all night long. VCTS was even
reported at 0425Z. However, the nearest lightning was hundreds of miles away!
This is a case of "false positives" at Frederick. There was another such case there on Christmas Day. So yes, automated
products do produce lightning information, but it's not always correct!