The satellite GOES-16 recorded a rare phenomena in November 2017
..... when it recorded a horizontal lightening flash that travelled across the North American continent from Oklahoma to Missouri, a distance of 248 miles (400km) ..... this is possibly a world record.
The longest previous such even recorded was 199.5 miles (321km) which covered just Oklahoma in June 2007. On a personal note, in the 1990's, I actually saw a horizontal lightening flash that travelled between two rocks off the coast of a Greek island in the Mediterranean. A local told me it had been seen occasionally before between the two rocks, due to their composition, and the distance was perhaps 2 km.
London Bias?
At the moment the Meteorological Office Cray Super computer uses a model of Earth which is divided up into a grid of squares that are 10km across. As it looks at the UK it gets more detailed treatment: its squares are 1,500m across.
However when it gets to London it uses even smaller squares at just 300m wide. Its claimed this is because the airspace above the big London airports of Gatwick or Heathrow require more accurate forecasts.
What about regional airspace such as over Manchester or Birmingham Airport? .... it appears that even the weather forecasts are London centric.
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| Horizontal Lightening Is Always Exciting ..... |
..... when it recorded a horizontal lightening flash that travelled across the North American continent from Oklahoma to Missouri, a distance of 248 miles (400km) ..... this is possibly a world record.
The longest previous such even recorded was 199.5 miles (321km) which covered just Oklahoma in June 2007. On a personal note, in the 1990's, I actually saw a horizontal lightening flash that travelled between two rocks off the coast of a Greek island in the Mediterranean. A local told me it had been seen occasionally before between the two rocks, due to their composition, and the distance was perhaps 2 km.
London Bias?
At the moment the Meteorological Office Cray Super computer uses a model of Earth which is divided up into a grid of squares that are 10km across. As it looks at the UK it gets more detailed treatment: its squares are 1,500m across.
 |
| Met Office Forecasts Have Improved With Computing Upgrades .... |
However when it gets to London it uses even smaller squares at just 300m wide. Its claimed this is because the airspace above the big London airports of Gatwick or Heathrow require more accurate forecasts.
What about regional airspace such as over Manchester or Birmingham Airport? .... it appears that even the weather forecasts are London centric.
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