We always have the latest up to date Satellite Weather Images for Southern Africa and Beautiful Animated Satellite Images with no need for users to be fiddling with trying to refresh their browsers to get the latest images, we take care of that all for you through our custom server technologies. The data recorded by this network in 2006 was utilised in the development of an initial lightning climatology of South Africa. A South African politician says lightning strikes are killing an increasing number of people in the country. As input to the total lightning risk map, both the lightning intensity risk map and positive lightning risk map were considered. Meteorology today: An introduction to weather, climate and the environment. Analysis of the maps shows that the highest concentrations of lightning are found over the central to northern interior of the country, with areas along the northern escarpment extending from the northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal into the Mpumalanga Lowveld topping the scale of lightning densities. Africa and South America are the most electric places on Earth: The world's top 10 lightning hotspots revealed. If this value were quantified to be true, it means that at least 90% of all lightning flashes will be detected. The value in each 0.1° x 0.1° grid box on the lightning intensity risk map was added to the value in the corresponding grid box on the positive lightning risk map. These four maps were in turn used to develop three lightning risk maps, namely, the lightning intensity risk, positive risk and total risk maps. The CSIR was the first institution to produce a lightning flash density map for South Africa, based on the data measured by the network of flash counters they operated.5 This map was created with flash counter data for an 11-year period and was considered the most accurate flash density map created with flash counter data.1 These flash counters only operated with a range of about 20 km,1 and were not as technologically advanced as the new SALDN. Each main interval is in turn divided into two subintervals. This division means that the extreme risk category, for example, ranges from 0.8 to 1.0, whilst the brown subinterval ranges from 0.8 to 0.9 and the black subinterval from 0.9 to 1.0. Get access to storms alerts and lightning information as well as a list of the last 10 storm warnings for South Africa. [ Links ], 16. Areas along the western parts of the Northern Cape, the Western Cape and the southernmost parts of the Eastern Cape experience low to moderate lightning risk. The risk maps also confirm that these areas fall into the extreme risk category. The central to northern interior of the country falls in the top level of the severe risk category and corresponds to lightning flash densities exceeding 4/km2. [ Links ], 11. Vector. 3.2 Lightning data Lightning flash data were acquired from the SAWS which, since 2006, has operated a lightning flash location system, now comprising 24 sensors located across South Africa, that can detect all cloud-to-ground lightning discharges with a 90% efficiency measure Downloaded by [The Library, University of Witwatersrand] at 09:38 07 April 2016 (see Evert & Schulze, 2005). Lightning is a sudden high-voltage discharge of electricity that occurs within a cloud, between clouds, or between a cloud and the ground. Rakov VA. Fault Analysis and Lightning Location System. Statistical methods in the atmospheric sciences. 2009;51(3):428-442. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TEMC.2009.2019267        [ Links ], 4. The positive flash multiplicity map thus identifies areas where lightning flashes with positive polarity typically contain more than one stroke and where the possibility of the flash transferring a greater charge to the ground is accounted for.5 As a final input to the positive lightning risk map, the percentage positive map was included. Instead of the five colours used by Gill5, the new map has ten colours, which indicate areas topping the scale in each main category more clearly. Christelle Fourie, Managing Director of MUA Insurance Acceptances, says lightning is one of the most underestimated natural disasters. She said collating scientific data played an invaluable role not just in aiding the understanding of lightning and the proper treatment for strike victims, but also in assisting efforts to better inform and educate people on the hazards of lightning. The following lightning maps were produced: lightning ground flash density, median peak kiloampere (kA), average flash multiplicity and percentage positive. Analysis of the maps showed that the highest concentrations of lightning are found over the central to northern interior of the country, with areas along the northern parts of the eastern escarpment experiencing the highest flash densities and falling within the extreme risk category. In the development of the lightning climatology, only cloud-to-ground lightning flashes were considered because the SALDN detects this type of lightning. C.R. This limited the SAWS in both its service delivery and public good. * Eskom Holdings SOC, Research T&D, Private Bag 40175, Cleveland, 202 2, South Africa. The maps shown for median peak kiloampere, average flash multiplicity and the percentage of positive lightning will also not be discussed in the results of this paper. As this lightning intensity risk map is concerned with high volumes of lightning received, all lightning flashes, irrespective of polarity, were considered. Because high volumes of lightning are just as important as lower volumes of lightning with positive polarity when analysing lightning risk,5 it is important to create a risk map that takes into account both of these different types of risk. The rest of the country is fairly comparable in magnitude on both maps. The lightning climatology of South Africa, Nowcasting and Very Short Range Forecasting Group, South African Weather Service, Pretoria, South Africa. lightning casualty dataset. The results are plotted on a map (Figure 2a), with a scale ranging from 0.1 to 50 flashes per square kilometre. In the map from the CSIR, an area with the same order of flash densities as over the northern parts of the eastern escarpment is also found over the Maluti Mountains of Lesotho. Small areas over the western parts of the North West Province and Lesotho also have flash densities of between 10/km2 and 15/km2. A number of different maps were created from these lightning data. Finally, the average lightning flash multiplicity map is included in this risk map because a flash consisting of a number of strokes may transfer large amounts of energy to the ground.5 The final lightning intensity risk map is thus used to analyse the risk based on high volumes of lightning with large median peak currents and flashes consisting of a number of strokes. IEEE Trans Electromagn Compat. Prior to 2005, the SAWS had no means of measuring lightning activity.5 Eskom, the major power utility of South Africa, operated a network of six Lightning Position and Tracking System lightning detection sensors.6 The purpose of this network was primarily to monitor the influence of lightning activity on power lines and to ensure the correct distribution of lines over South Africa.2 These sensors were discarded when the more advanced SALDN became operational.7 Before this, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) also operated a lightning detection network of lightning flash counters.5 South Africa had about 400 flash counters.8 These sensors had a range of about 20 km for ground flashes, resulting in some flashes that occurred between the counters being missed.1 The CSIR operated a 60 m lightning research mast in Pretoria for 15 years, which was used for direct measurement of lightning discharges and also to verify the flash counters.7 Results of these tests showed that frequent location accuracy errors were observed in these flash counters.2 Then, in 2005, the SAWS made a large capital investment by purchasing a state-of-the-art lightning detection network from Vaisala, making South Africa one of only three countries in the southern hemisphere to operate such a network.5 This network provided the SAWS with its first opportunity to explore lightning in thunderstorms and also to provide lightning information to the public. AfriWX brings a variety of weather resources for South Africa to you in the palm of your hand. While a strike in Brazil travelled the longest distance, one in Argentina lasted for the longest duration recorded till now. Insurance companies can utilise these maps to identify high risk areas, Eskom can determine areas where lightning is most likely to interrupt power supply, areas at risk from lightning-induced fires can be identified and various other institutions may benefit from using these maps. The sum was reduced to an index varying between 0 and 1 by dividing each grid box over the country by the maximum value of the entire data set. Median stroke location accuracy is determined by means of the confidence ellipse of a two-dimensional Gaussian distribution model. The addition of these sensors meant a new total of 22 sensors over South Africa, together with 1 sensor in Swaziland, to make up a network consisting of 23 sensors. Almost exactly the same methodology developed by Gill5 was utilised, with the only differences being that a higher resolution was used and the scale of the lightning risk maps was increased. The final map, shown in Figure 8, is divided into five equal main intervals ranging from low risk to high risk. Only literature on risk maps created for specific purposes could be found and thus the risk maps were developed from first principles as proposed general purpose risk maps.5 Gill5 stated that these risk maps are simple models that are proposed as general purpose risk maps and can be easily modified depending on individual needs. Free access to maps of former thunderstorms. [ Links ], 7. The median is essentially the middle value of a data set,16 so that there is an equal probability of the peak current occurring above this value as that below this value. The lightning sensors installed by the SAWS are distributed throughout the country (Figure 1). The positive lightning risk map takes into account areas of the country prone to lightning with positive polarity.5 This map is important because lightning with positive polarity may be considered a more destructive form of lightning,1 as discussed earlier. Proceedings of the 25th International Conference on Lightning Protection; 2000 Sept 18-22; Rhodes, Greece. Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole; 2007. A significant feature of the lightning ground flash density is that it follows the topography of the country fairly accurately. It will be especially useful for setting lightning safety standards and identifying priority areas for installing lightning conductors and conducting public awareness campaigns. This map can be used to determine what percentage of the total number of lightning flashes an area receives will be positive. Proceedings of the 16th International Symposium on High Voltage Engineering; 2009 Aug 24-28; Cape Town, South Africa. Lightning with positive polarity typically discharges a greater charge to the ground than its negative polarity counterpart,18 and the channels transferring the higher current typically remain conductive longer as a result of the continuing current components of the lightning, which cause an increase in the joule heating at the attachment point of the lightning.5 Positive lightning is usually responsible for more severe damage and also for fires initiated by lightning.1 Furthermore, Rakov and Uman1 state that the peak current, as well as the integral of the current over time, are two properties of lightning that can lead to destruction. This paper updates this climatology with the lightning data for the 2006-2010 period, which is the first actual lightning climatology by the South African Weather Service based on data covering 5 years. How many Lightning Strikes does Africa receive every year? The final map, shown in Figure 7, is divided into five equal main intervals ranging from low risk to high risk. It accounts for between 1,5 and 8,8 deaths per million people. Gill T. Initial steps in the development of a comprehensive lightning climatology of South Africa. The results of these two maps were already reduced to an index between 0 and 1 as discussed earlier. [ Links ], 3. And lightning almost never strikes the north or south poles. This risk map identifies areas where lightning with positive polarity poses the highest risk. The majority of the Western Cape experiences low risk, with only the north-western parts at severe risk from lightning with positive polarity. These data provide South Africa with the first lightning climatology, based on data for more than a year, measured by the new state-of-the-art SALDN. Maps for lightning flashes with positive polarity were also created. 2011;139(6):1826-1843. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/2010MWR3585.1        [ Links ], 15. Two new sensors were added to the network at Springbok (in the Northern Cape) and Aliwal North (in the Eastern Cape) during 2009 and a third new sensor was added at Satara in the Kruger National Park early in 2010. Proceedings of the 27th general assembly of the International Union of Radio Science; 2002 Aug 17-24; Maastricht, the Netherlands. It's attracted to the Himalayas and even more so to central Africa. After the development of the initial lightning climatology by Gill5, the data from 2007 to 2010 recorded by the SALDN was never utilised to update this climatology and thus it was based on the data for only 2006. This map gives the number of lightning flashes per square kilometre, which makes it ideal for analysing the risk associated with high volumes of lightning received by a specific area. 2007;(5):68-69. ‘Staggeringly high’ number of lightning deaths in SA, South Africa to use Russian and Chinese Covid-19 vaccines, The businesses hardest-hit by liquidations in South Africa, Huawei sales slump as sanctions hit phone business, The average take home pay in South Africa right now, Multi-franchise offices – How cloud-hosted business phone solutions can maximise business efficiency, Why cryptocurrency arbitrage is taking the industry by storm, Great Samsung Galaxy smartphone deals from Edgars, HP Colour LaserJet Printer – big performance in a small package, South Africa’s new debit order system in full effect from May, Government’s R4 billion bus project is still not finished – more than a decade later, Travel restrictions hit South Africa as parts of the world begin to open up, South Africa's best and worst paying jobs - and the gap in between. 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