30F and clear with a high of 37 predicted. Icy patches out there.
What's the temperature where you are???
- Thread starter mamabird
- Start date
Friday 1134a 58
If it makes you feel any better….That's right, rub it in as I sit with 5" snow.
Last night we dug out from the snow storm, it was so peaceful (between all the grunting cursing and swearing) as I lay there in the snow getting hypothermia. Too exhausted to get up.
And guess what?! I get to do it all over again Sunday! Oh yay
SkyAJK
Crowing
- Apr 27, 2024
- 1,125
- 4,302
- 361
We are having light rain over here.
30degree today and rain all day.... :-(
I am so over with this month in and month out of rain.
30degree today and rain all day.... :-(
I am so over with this month in and month out of rain.
Nym
Free Ranging
Saturday 15th of February 8.16a.m. Sunny and a few big puffy floaters. 11.1 / 14.8kph SW, Hg 62%, 21.2C / 70.2F top of 26C / 79F. Late shower or two. Marine wind warning.
Moon is 92%
An electrical storm in Newcastle is captured by time-lapse on January 15, 2025. (Supplied: Dale Lotherington)
They are spectacular, scary, and potentially deadly — and millions have hit Australia so far this year.
But how and why do we count them?
Lightning strike data is supplied to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) by a New Zealand-based company called MetraWeather.
Lightning strikes at Mt Tomaree at Port Stephens on January 15, 2025. (Supplied: Stephen Keating)
It uses information from the Australian Lightning Network, which is made up of more than 130 lightning detection sensors positioned all over the country.
The technology is specifically designed to pick up the electromagnetic frequency of a lightning strike.
"You will sometimes hear static sounds on your AM radio when lightning is occurring and it's basically that electromagnetic frequency that the sensors detect," he said.
Mr Zadnik said some sensors could detect lightning within a 500 kilometre radius.
"The sensors then use what's known as time-of-arrival mathematics to calculate how long that signal takes to get to each sensor," he said.
"And then you can triangulate the position of the lightning strike to determine where it occurred."
Mr Zadnik said the sensors could detect lightning even if it did not touch the ground.
"Algorithms are used to determine whether a strike was high up in the atmosphere or if it reached the ground," he said.
"So there's a bit of mathematics involved, but the sensors give you an indication of the height of some of these events and then an algorithm determines whether it's cloud-to-cloud or cloud-to-ground."
"It all comes down to the lightning wanting to ground itself," she said.
"It tries to do that with the closest object; sometimes that's the ground, sometimes that's other clouds."
Ms Bradbury said lightning occurred when a strong negative electric charge built up at the base of the cloud.
She said it was only when that negative charge met a positive electric recharge pushing up from the ground that a strike occurred.
"The negative charge coming down directs that positive charge up to meet it and when this happens, a powerful electric current bursts through," she said.
Ms Bradbury said the whole process happened in a split second and the speed often made it look as though the light was coming down from a cloud, even though it was pushing back up from the ground.
She said when lightning was spotted nearby, people should seek shelter.
"The rule of thumb is that thunder travels about 1km in three seconds," Ms Badbury said.
"So if there's 30 seconds or less between when you see that lightning flash and when you hear the thunder, that means that the storm is less than 10km away.
"That is the time to take shelter, not under trees, but if possible indoors, well away from windows which might be impacted by storms."
ABC
Moon is 92%
More than 10 million lightning strikes across Australia so far this year
2h ago2 hours agoAn electrical storm in Newcastle is captured by time-lapse on January 15, 2025. (Supplied: Dale Lotherington)
They are spectacular, scary, and potentially deadly — and millions have hit Australia so far this year.
But how and why do we count them?
Lightning strike data is supplied to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) by a New Zealand-based company called MetraWeather.
Lightning strikes at Mt Tomaree at Port Stephens on January 15, 2025. (Supplied: Stephen Keating)
It uses information from the Australian Lightning Network, which is made up of more than 130 lightning detection sensors positioned all over the country.
The technology is specifically designed to pick up the electromagnetic frequency of a lightning strike.
How do the sensors work?
MetraWeather's business manager Alex Zadnik said the devices could sense lightning due to its electromagnetic frequency."You will sometimes hear static sounds on your AM radio when lightning is occurring and it's basically that electromagnetic frequency that the sensors detect," he said.
Mr Zadnik said some sensors could detect lightning within a 500 kilometre radius.
"The sensors then use what's known as time-of-arrival mathematics to calculate how long that signal takes to get to each sensor," he said.
"And then you can triangulate the position of the lightning strike to determine where it occurred."
Mr Zadnik said the sensors could detect lightning even if it did not touch the ground.
"Algorithms are used to determine whether a strike was high up in the atmosphere or if it reached the ground," he said.
"So there's a bit of mathematics involved, but the sensors give you an indication of the height of some of these events and then an algorithm determines whether it's cloud-to-cloud or cloud-to-ground."
Why lightning strikes the ground
BOM senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said there was a simple reason why lightning would sometimes strike other clouds rather than the ground."It all comes down to the lightning wanting to ground itself," she said.
"It tries to do that with the closest object; sometimes that's the ground, sometimes that's other clouds."
Ms Bradbury said lightning occurred when a strong negative electric charge built up at the base of the cloud.
She said it was only when that negative charge met a positive electric recharge pushing up from the ground that a strike occurred.
"The negative charge coming down directs that positive charge up to meet it and when this happens, a powerful electric current bursts through," she said.
Ms Bradbury said the whole process happened in a split second and the speed often made it look as though the light was coming down from a cloud, even though it was pushing back up from the ground.
She said when lightning was spotted nearby, people should seek shelter.
"The rule of thumb is that thunder travels about 1km in three seconds," Ms Badbury said.
"So if there's 30 seconds or less between when you see that lightning flash and when you hear the thunder, that means that the storm is less than 10km away.
"That is the time to take shelter, not under trees, but if possible indoors, well away from windows which might be impacted by storms."
ABC
5Australorpasaures
Crowing
- Jan 20, 2023
- 1,552
- 4,843
- 326
ALOT BETTER!!!
This morning was -4F. It's now 19F and snowing.
Supposed to stop snowing now and start again in 9 minutes.
Such precision lol. Anyway, it's 2-5" possible and we only got an inch thus far.
Low: -11F
Supposed to stop snowing now and start again in 9 minutes.
Such precision lol. Anyway, it's 2-5" possible and we only got an inch thus far.Low: -11F
EmmaDonovan
Free Ranging
73° at 5:00 P.M. It looks like it wants to rain. Maybe this evening. ¿Quién sabe? 
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