NOAA’s GOES-16 weather satellite delivers 'flashy' first images from its lightning mapper!

Image courtesy: NOAA/NASA

 New Delhi: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) first of the next generation of geosynchronous environmental satellite – GOES-16 weather satellite – has just successfully delivered the first images captured by its lightning mapper.

NOAA National Weather Service forecasters have recieved data transmitted from the instrument - the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) – aboard the weather satellite that they never had access to before, thereby providing them with richer information about lightning that will help them alert the public to dangerous weather.

The mapper continually looks for lightning flashes in the Western Hemisphere, so forecasters know when a storm is forming, intensifying and becoming more dangerous. Rapid increases of lightning are a signal that a storm is strengthening quickly and could produce severe weather.

During heavy rain, GLM data will show when thunderstorms are stalled or if they are gathering strength. When combined with radar and other satellite data, GLM data may help forecasters anticipate severe weather and issue flood and flash flood warnings sooner.

In dry areas, especially in the western United States, information from the instrument will help forecasters, and ultimately firefighters, identify areas prone to wildfires sparked by lightning, American space agency NASA reported.

Moreover, accurate tracking of lightning and thunderstorms over the oceans, too distant for land-based radar and sometimes difficult to see with satellites, will support safe navigation for aviators and mariners.

The new mapper also detects in-cloud lightning, which often occurs 5 to 10 minutes or more before potentially deadly cloud-to-ground strikes. This means more precious time for forecasters to alert those involved in outdoor activities of the developing threat.

GOES 16, previously known as GOES-R, was launched at approximately 23:42 UTC on November 19, 2016 from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, US.

NASA also shared a video showing the first images! Have a look.

(Video courtesy: NOAASatellites)