Network for Lightning and Thunderstorms in Real Time - Real time lightning map
Access to the raw data
Each participant is entitled to access the computed lightning data in raw text format. The archive data files are stored at our data server data.blitzortung.org in directory data.blitzortung.org/Data.

Index of /Data/


../
Protected/              -
Public/                 -
Restricted/             -

The directory "Pulic" contains data that is not protected. This data is used by some older versions of the MyBlitzortung software. The raw data are located in the directories "Protected" and "Restricted". These two directories are identical. One of these directories is a link to the other one. The directory "Protected" allows access to the raw data using your loginname/password pair. The "Restricted" directory allows access to the raw data via special IP addresses. They contain the following directories and files.

Index of /Data/Protected/


../
readme.txt           2165
Strikes_0/              -
Strikes_1/              -
Strikes_2/              -
Strikes_3/              -
Strikes_4/              -
Strikes_5/              -
Strikes_6/              -
Strikes_7/              -
Strikes_8/              -
Strikes_9/              -
Strikes_10/             -
Strikes_11/             -
Strikes_12/             -
Strikes_13/             -
Strikes_14/             -
Strikes_15/             -
Strikes_16/             -
Strikes_17/             -
Strikes_18/             -
Strikes_19/             -
last_strikes.php     2165
stations.json     1715010
stations.json.gz   207610
stations.txt.gz    195990
stations_1.txt.gz  119484
stations_2.txt.gz   17367
stations_3.txt.gz   31716
stations_4.txt.gz   15172
stations_5.txt.gz   13318

The calculations of blitzortung.org are carried out in several containers processed on different servers. The results are stored in the "Strikes_xx" directories. The current assignment of the directories to the regional areas is as follows:
directory,	computed region,	server location
Strikes_0,	-,			-
Strikes_1,	Europe (1),		Germany
Strikes_2,	Ozeania,		Germany
Strikes_3,	North America (1),	Germany
Strikes_4,	Asia,			Germany
Strikes_5,	Africa,			Germany
Strikes_6,	South America,		Germany
Strikes_7,	Japan,			Germany
Strikes_8,	-,			-
Strikes_9,	-,			-
Strikes_10,	North America (2),	Finland
Strikes_11,	-,			-
Strikes_12,	-,			-
Strikes_13,	-,			-
Strikes_14,	-,			-
Strikes_15,	-,			-
Strikes_16,	-,			-
Strikes_17,	-,			-
Strikes_18,	Europe (2),		Finland
Strikes_19,	Europe (3),		Finland

The strikes directories contain sub-directories named by the date and time of the lightning strikes in UTC times. Each data file contains lightning strike information of 10 minutes. Each line of these files consists of one variable coded in "JSON" (JavaScript Object Notation). Files older than 24 hours are only available as "zgip" files. For example, the file contains the lightning stike data for Region 1 (Europe) of 1'st August 2013 between 10:30 to 10:39.999999999. Informations about all stations can be found in the file The lightning data files and the stations file are updated every minute. You need to check whether the file is available in gzip format as "XX.json.gz" or in simple text format as "XX.json".

The last strike data entries from all regions together up to the current time can also be accessed via the following url. It considers the last 100000 entries (with signals involved) / 1000000 entries (without signals involved). To keep the transfer rate as high as possible, the data is not read from the disk but from the main memory. The returned records are sorted time descending. The parameters of the script have the following meaning.
  • numer=x provides the last x entries (default = 100)
  • time=t provides the latest entries after time stamp t (given as UTC Nano Epoch Seconds)
  • west=lon provides only entries with a longitude of at least lon (default = -180)
  • east=lon provides only entries with longitude of at most lon (default = 180)
  • north=lat provides only entries with a latitude of at most lat (default = 90)
  • south=lat provides only entries with a latitude of at least lat (default = -90)
  • sig=0/1 provides entries excluding/including the information of the signals involved (default = 0)
Example: The follwing url provides the last 10 entries from the last 1000000 entries with a longitude between -10.0° and 40.0°, a latitude between 70.0° and 20.0°, and without the information about the signals involved. Each line of the data files contains one JSON codes variable.

Each variable of the lightning strike files may have the following members.
  • time = time stamp in nano seconds
  • lat = latitude in degree (decimal)
  • lon = longitude in degree (decimal)
  • alt = altitude in meter
  • pol = polarity, -1 or +1
  • mds = maximal deviation span in nano seconds
  • mcg = maximal circular gap in degree (for example, 210 degree = the detectors are in a sector of 150 degree from the point of view of the impact position), optional
  • status = status, optional
  • sig = array of signals
Each signal of the sig array may have the following members.
  • sta = station that has received the signal
  • time = time difference to the time of the lightning strike in nano seconds
  • lat = latitude of the detector in degree (decimal)
  • lon = longitude of the detector in degree (decimal)
  • alt = altitude of the detector in meter
  • status = status of the signal (bit 1 = polarity negative, bit 2 = polarity positive, bit 3 = signal is used for the computation)
Each variable of the stations file may have the following members.
  • station = station number
  • user = user
  • city = city
  • comments = comments
  • country = country
  • website = website
  • latitude = latitude in decimal degree
  • longitude = longitude in decimal degree
  • altitude = altitude in meter
  • controller_board = controller board
  • firmware = controller firmware
  • controller_status = controller status (0 = unknown, 10 = offline, 20 = idle, 30 = running, 40 = interference, 50 = invalid data, 60 = invalid signal, 70 = bad gps, 80 = no amplifiers , 90 = controller fault, 100 communication error)
  • input_0_board = amplifier board at channel 0
  • input_1_board = amplifier board at channel 1
  • input_2_board = amplifier board at channel 2
  • input_3_board = amplifier board at channel 3
  • input_4_board = amplifier board at channel 4
  • input_5_board = amplifier board at channel 5
  • input_0_firmware = firmware for amplifier at channel channel 0
  • input_1_firmware = firmware for amplifier at channel channel 1
  • input_2_firmware = firmware for amplifier at channel channel 2
  • input_3_firmware = firmware for amplifier at channel channel 3
  • input_4_firmware = firmware for amplifier at channel channel 4
  • input_5_firmware = firmware for amplifier at channel channel 5
  • input_0_gain = gain for amplifier at channel channel 0
  • input_1_gain = gain for amplifier at channel channel 1
  • input_2_gain = gain for amplifier at channel channel 2
  • input_3_gain = gain for amplifier at channel channel 3
  • input_4_gain = gain for amplifier at channel channel 4
  • input_5_gain = gain for amplifier at channel channel 5
  • input_0_antenna = antenna for amplifier at channel 0
  • input_1_antenna = antenna for amplifier at channel 1
  • input_2_antenna = antenna for amplifier at channel 2
  • input_3_antenna = antenna for amplifier at channel 3
  • input_4_antenna = antenna for amplifier at channel 4
  • input_5_antenna = antenna for amplifier at channel 5
  • signals = number of received signals at the last hour
  • last_signal = date and time of the last received signal
  • last_signal_nsec = time of the last received signal in nano seconds
  • last_strike = date and time of the last affected strike
  • last_strike_nsec = time of the last affected strike in nano seconds
  • 50_km_60_m_a = number of strikes detected by the network up to a distance of 50 km around the station within the last 60 minutes
  • 500_km_60_m_a = the same for 500 km
  • 5000_km_60_m_a = the same for 5000 km
  • 50_km_60_m = number of strikes of "50_km_60_m_a" the station was involved
  • 500_km_60_m = the same for 500 km
  • 5000_km_60_m = the same for 5000 km
  • 50_km_60_m_e = effectivity of the station in % up to a distance of 50 km around the station within the last 60 minutes
  • 500_km_60_m_e = the same for 500 km
  • 5000_km_60_m_e = the same for 5000 km
The participants can use these links for presenting own maps or statistical evaluations on their own web sites. It is also allowed to collect the data to create a separate private archive and to provide access by other users to maps and statistical informations created from the own archive.


Please note: The authors of the provided data are "all" participants of the network. It is not the intention of the project to publish raw data, to provide access to raw data, or to market raw data to others. This removes a main motivation to join the project and leads to a disintegration of the network. Please note also the privacy policies if using informations from "stations.json.gz". A commercial use of data from Blitzortung.org is prohibited.
PHP example to show individual maps on a web servers
This is a simple php example (template) for those who only want to show simple online Mercator maps on own web servers with an average utilization. The data is cached locally. New data is only fetched when it is necessary. The script can be used as a tamplate and changed to your own needs. Maps in Mercator or Miller projection can be generated by the map generator. The example consists of two files. The first file contains the parameter that should be adated, the second file contains the processing procedure.
Oceania
Florida
Example for a parameterized embedding of Blitzortung's live vector map
Tracker programs for System GREEN up to PCB 6.8usb
  • Tracker programs for controller up to PCB 6 Version 7:
    • The official tracker program for Windows, Ver. 5: serial_trackerV5.zip
      The tracker program for Windows should not be installed in the programm directory, because then administrator rights are required for execution.
      Please do not rename the tracker for Windows, becaus then the automatic startup will not work after a reboot.
    • Tracklog is a simple program to log the received signals: tracklog.zip
    • The official tracker program for Linux, Ver. 26, source code: tracker_Linux.c
    • Example tracker start script for Ubuntu/Debian Debian Linux, latest version: S20_blitzortung_tracker
  • Tracker programs for controller up to PCB 6 Version 8:
There are several tracker programs for Blitzortung.org refined to work with different Linux distributions and restricted hardware requirements. You are welcome to cooperate. Please use the following server depending on your location:
NumberRegion
1Europe
2Oceania
3North America
How to change the baudrate (up to PCB 6 Vers. 7)
To change the baudrate of your system, please proceed as follows:
  • Garmin, 19200 Baud (Garmin 35, Garmin 16, Garmin 17)

    Power off the evaluation board. Set the junper at the evaluation board to handle 19200 Baud. Power on the evaluation board. Windows user start the tracker for Windows, set RS232->Speed to 19200 Baud, select GPS type Garmin, initialize the GPS, wait some seconds, and then power off and power on the evaluation board and GPS device. Linux user start the tracker for linux with the parameters "Garmin 19200", wait some seconds, and then power off and power on the evaluation board and GPS device.

    Note that the Garmin GPS Modules use the selected settings only after a power off and power on of the device. The Garmin 17 GPS module can also work with 38400 Baud.
  • SiRF, 38400 Baud (Fortuna U2, EM-406A, ...)

    Power off the evaluation board. Set the junper at the evaluation board to handle 38400 Baud. Power on the evaluation board. Windows user start the tracker for Windows, set RS232->Speed to 38400 Baud, select GPS type SiRF, initialize the GPS, wait some seconds, and then push the reset button at the evaluation board. Linux user start the tracker for linux with the parameters "SiRF 38400", wait some seconds, and then push the reset button at the evaluation board.

    If your Firmware only support 4800/19200 Baud, try the same procedure with 19200 Baud.

    Note that the GPS device must have a working buffer battery to store the selected settings. Otherwise you have to reinitialize your SiRF GPS module after every power off/on.
The banner of Blitzortung.org
Logo The banner of Blitzortung.org is also available as jpg image in the size 4772 x 2312 pixel. This allows you to print the banner in high quality on t-shirts or posters. The original photo was taken by Bernd März a passionate photographer specialized to nature, landscapes, and weather photography. Click on the image to get it in its original size.
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