Earth Network Total Lightning Network (ENTLN™)

The ENTLN is a large-scale lightning detection network designed to detect cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning strokes over the contintental United States and beyond. The ENTLN network was deployed in 2009 incorporating thousands of man hours of research, development and leading-edge technology. In 2012, WDT became a value-added reseller of ENTLN data. See our technology section on how lightning is detected.

ENTLN Accuracy <200 meters

• Greater than 95% Detection Efficiency
• Individual stroke data (not flash) is reported
• Lightning detection reports available in less than 1-minute
• Stroke reports include date, time, latitude, longitude, polarity, amplitude, and distance and heading, from an address or point of interest (latitude/longitude).

CONUS United States LIghtning Detection Efficiency Map

When discussing the quality of a lightning detection network, there are two key elements to measure – detection efficiency and location accuracy. Detection efficiency speaks to the percentage of strokes that are detected by the network which can be correlated with other sensors to determine a stroke. The image above depicts the detection efficiency of the ENTLN. The image below is the average stroke accuracy map. When lightning strikes the earth's surface, the contact point is only the size of a dime, so while some strokes are plotted right on top of the exact dime-sized spot, approximately half of the strokes detected are plotted with an accuracy of better than 200 meters.

ENTLN CONUS United States Lightning Avg. Accuracy Map

The ENTLN utilizes the 300+ sensors based in the continental United States along with the surrounding sensors in the Americas to provide the highest quality cloud-to-ground lightning data available. In total, there are over 560 sensors available to participate in lightning detection and location.

560+ Global ENTLN Sensor Installations