Lightning Observations

This dataset describes observations made of lightning by sensors distributed in Ballarat.

The information was collected in real time by the sensors.

The intended use of the information is to inform the public of the historical measured observations of lightning in Ballarat.

The dataset is typically updated every 15 minutes.

Observations are made as per the ATMOS41 manual:

The lightning sensor acts much like an AM radio. During a thunderstorm, the crack of the lightning disrupts the AM signal. The integrated circuit inside the sensor listens for this disturbance and registers the time of and distance (intensity of signal) to the strike. The sensor outputs the total number of strikes and average distance to these strikes in the measurement period. 

The City of Ballarat is not an official source of weather information. These observations are provided to the public for informative purposes only. Use other channels for official meteorological observations and forecasts.

Data and Resources

Additional Information

Field Value
Published (Metadata Record) 20/03/2023
Last updated 02/04/2024
Organisation City of Ballarat
License - other CC BY 3
Category Local government
Full metadata URL https://data.ballarat.vic.gov.au/explore/dataset/lightning-observations/information/