Patent ID: 8836518
Filing Date: 2014-09-16
Classification: G01W,G08B,G08G,Y02A

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for predicting the potential for severe weather, the method comprising: receiving, by a computing device, data associated with lightning activity, wherein the data includes lightning flash data collected during a specific time interval; identifying, by the computing device, one or more cells of lighting activity based upon the lightning flash data, the identifying comprising: determining, by the computing device, a movement speed, a movement direction, and a lightning rate of the one or more cells of lightning activity based on the received data; comparing, by the computing device, the determined lightning rate to a threshold lightning rate; determining, by the computing device, one or more geographical areas at risk based on the location, the movement speed, and the movement direction of the one or more cells of lightning activity; and issuing, by the computing device, an alert to one or more remote devices monitoring the geographical areas at risk when the lightning rate exceeds a value of the threshold lightning rate.