Rick do you have access to the lightning strike data over the last few decades? When was such data first started being tracked by satellite? My hunch is that a chart would show a rise and it would be interesting to see the curve.
The publicly satellite-based lightning networks only start in the early 2000s. The Alaska Fore Service land based sensor system data starts in the late 1980s but there have been many changes over the decades, including a completely new kind of system starting in 2012. There's been a lot of work to try and homogenize the time series but with only limited success. That said, there is certainly more lightning nowadays in western Alaska than there used to be based on both instrumental records and people in the region reporting such.
You may already know this, but just in case not, for the big picture, Zach Labe maintains a lot of Arctic change related graphics here: https://zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-ice-figures/
That's a terrible combination of factors, very upsetting. Thank you for your dedicated observations and reporting, Rick. Hoping it doesn't go sideways.
Rick do you have access to the lightning strike data over the last few decades? When was such data first started being tracked by satellite? My hunch is that a chart would show a rise and it would be interesting to see the curve.
The publicly satellite-based lightning networks only start in the early 2000s. The Alaska Fore Service land based sensor system data starts in the late 1980s but there have been many changes over the decades, including a completely new kind of system starting in 2012. There's been a lot of work to try and homogenize the time series but with only limited success. That said, there is certainly more lightning nowadays in western Alaska than there used to be based on both instrumental records and people in the region reporting such.
Thsnks for your reply. I'm in the process of trying to update my understanding of what the long term trends in the arctic are. I think it's beyond me.
You may already know this, but just in case not, for the big picture, Zach Labe maintains a lot of Arctic change related graphics here: https://zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-ice-figures/
Thank you Sir Thoman!
That's a terrible combination of factors, very upsetting. Thank you for your dedicated observations and reporting, Rick. Hoping it doesn't go sideways.
This is a valuable overview.
Thank you