30 THE WORLD OF GOLFING
BIRAL
Some Facts about Lightning...
and why you need a warning!
Biral
There are a few “old-wives-tales” and
common misconceptions regarding
lightning and thunderstorms which
need to be changed in order to keep
everyone as safe as possible under these
circumstances, especially when you find
yourselves out on the course as a storm
approaches.
The first one is: “that thunder sounds a
long way off; we’ll be fine for a while yet”.
are electrocuted by the very strong
currents flowing in the ground close to
the strike location, which travels through
their body from one foot to another.
Alternatively, those too close to an object
which is struck will receive a shock from
a “flash-over” from the object which was
struck, such as a tree. This can occur
several metres from the object itself and
is one of the reasons why you should
never (ever) shelter under any tall object
(including trees!).
A lightning bolt often exceeds 6 miles (10
km) in length and rarely comes vertically
to earth. So if lightning occurs within
this distance, the next flash may well be
to where you are standing. You cannot
usually hear the thunder if the lightning
is over 6 miles away, so you often have no
audible warning at all.
It is also a fact that nearby lightning
occurring inside the thunder cloud during
the day can be unseen, even by trained
meteorological observers. Unfortunately,
humans are rather poor thunderstorm
detectors so should definitely not
be relied upon for consistent, early
warnings! The safest places to shelter during
a thunder storm are in a properly
grounded building, or a fully-enclosed
metal vehicle. Ungrounded huts, wooden
sheds, under trees, rain shelters or
canopies offer no protection and can
actually be very dangerous places during
a thunderstorm.
The next is: “it hasn’t started to rain yet, so
the storm is not overhead; we’ll be fine” The only reliable and consistent way
of issuing a lightning warning is with a
dedicated lightning detection system.
About 90% of thunderstorms are
already producing lightning by the time
they are within 12 miles (20 km), so a
professional, real-time lightning warning
system should provide adequate notice
of an approaching storm. However, in
the case of the remaining 10%, the first
flash will occur nearby or overhead –
which is (of course) the most dangerous.
Therefore, it is important not to rely
on systems which only detect lightning
as these cannot provide any advanced
warning of the threat of overhead
lightning and its implicit danger!
The next one is: “let us shelter under that
tree until the storm has passed; we’ll be
fine”
Most people killed or injured by lightning
are not struck by lightning directly.
Instead, many people struck outside
To ensure the best chance of a
thunderstorm threat warning, the
detector should be able to alert for both
distant lightning and the presence of
a strong electric field at your location.
This strong electric field is indicative of
a lightning threat developing overhead
– so potentially a very serious situation
and one to take immediate action over.
The innovative new BTD-200 lightning
warning system from Biral is able to do
both. It detects distant lightning (up to
22miles away) as well as warning about
an overhead strong electric field, even if
there is no lightning being produced.
The next is: “I haven’t seen any lightning
yet, so it must be a way off; we’ll be fine”
Whilst the highest concentration of
flashes are often close to the areas of
most intense hail or rainfall, lightning
can strike the ground with or without
rain falling at your location, so do not be
fooled into thinking you are any less at
risk if it is (or is not) raining!
Ideally, what is required is a reliable
thunderstorm detecting system which
gives adequate warning time to prepare
before the storm moves overhead and
one which is also able to warn of the
threat posed by potential overhead
lighting before it has begun.
WEBSITE: www.biral.com
The Lightning Works software will then
alert the staff and managers to these
threats, in real time, allowing them to
review and manage the situation and
to warn the members, the public and
their own staff to the potential danger.
It can also activate warning sounders
automatically if required.
The BTD-200 lightning warning
system really is the next generation of
lightning detection and warning system.
It has been developed from proven
professional technology currently used
world-wide at airports and by national
meteorological organisations.