Archival Data
Real-time lightning data generally has a latency (from detection to user display) of less than 1 minute. Near real-time is considered greater than 1 minutes latency These types of data may be used for operational purposes such as situational awareness, alerting, immediate causal analysis, rapid deployment and tactical planning.
In contrast, archived lightning data is any data that is older than 24 hours from time of detection. Historical lightning data of this nature is very valuable for forensic analysis, after-the-fact fault analysis, longer-term logistical and operational planning, claims resolutions, and statistical analysis and integration with a variety of market-specific information.
Access to Archived Data
Archived USPLN data can be obtained in a variety of ways and formats. Data is available for large or small areas, from 2004 to current day:
- Premium licensing option in conjunction with real-time data services.
- Text or shapefile format, which can be easily ingested into commercial or custom software.
- Lightning verification reports to assist in the determination of lightning at a given location and date.
- Bulk datasets that can be integrated with business data for statistical analysis.