Lightning information service launched today

New service can be accessed via smartphone app, website or weather hotline
Today Online, 8 Oct 13;

SINGAPORE — The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) launched a lightning information service today (Oct 8). Members of the public can now access information on lightning strikes in Singapore through smartphone applications, the MSS website or the weather information hotline.

The smartphone app, Lightning@SG, is available for both iPhones and Android phones. Some features of the app include customising up to three locations of interest. Users can receive push alerts when lightning is detected within a pre-defined distance of six or eight kilometres from the locations. In addition, users are able to choose the type of lightning and thundery showers forecast for which they would like to receive a push alert.

Lightning information is also available on the MSS website (http://tdy.sg/msslightning), and at the MSS weather information hotline at 6542 7788.

According to the Director-General of MSS, Ms Wong Chin Ling, Singapore has one of the highest rates of lightning activity in the world. “With an average of around 167 thunderstorm days a year, lightning strikes are a potential safety hazard for anyone engaging in outdoor activities in Singapore. Therefore, it is important for the public to be alerted of potential lightning risk when out in the open.”

Professor Liew Ah Choy, Professorial Fellow at the National University of Singapore’s Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering said that the Lightning Information Service provides excellent information. “The information will benefit and allow many entities, as well as the general public, to make good decisions based on the risk of impending lightning over their areas of interest,” he said.

MSS will also be distributing educational material on lightning safety to schools, community centres and facilities providing outdoor services to further educate the public on the potential lightning risk.


Free real-time lightning service launched
The Meteorological Service Singapore has launched a new free real-time lightning service on multiple platforms.
Channel NewsAsia, 8 Oct 13;

SINGAPORE: The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) has launched a new free real-time lightning service on multiple platforms.

It will be available as a mobile app called Lightning@SG, on the MSS website, and through the weather information hotline number.

With the app, smart phone users will be able to customise up to three locations of interest and receive push alerts when lightning is detected within a pre-defined distance of either six kilometres or eight kilometres from their location of interest.

Users will also be able to choose the type of lightning (cloud-to-cloud and/ or cloud-to-ground) and thundery showers forecast that they wish to receive a push alert on.

The lightning information service will be available on the MSS website via a link from the National Environment Agency website.

The website will display a scrolling ticker message when lightning is detected in the selected watch areas.

The public can also call the MSS weather information hotline (6542 7788) for real-time lightning information.

Singapore has one of the highest rates of lightning activity in the world given its location in the tropics.

On average, there are around 167 thunderstorm days a year in Singapore.

MSS says lightning strikes are a potential safety hazard for anyone engaging in outdoor activities in Singapore.

MSS says it is important for the public to be alerted of potential lightning risk when out in the open.

MSS will be distributing educational material on lightning safety precautions to schools, community centres and facilities providing outdoor services.

- CNA/fa


New app provides real-time alerts on lightning danger
Woo Sian Boon, Today Online, 9 Oct 13;

SINGAPORE — The danger of being struck by lightning can come down to a matter of minutes in Singapore, which has one of the highest occurrences of lightning activity in the world.

Now, the public can have real-time lightning information at their fingertips with a free smartphone application called Lightning@SG by the Meteorological Service of Singapore (MSS).

The app, available for iPhone and Android devices, was launched yesterday to help alert the user of potential lightning risks when out in the open. It gathers real-time data through the MSS’ new lightning detection system, which has four lightning detection sensors located in Sembawang, Changi, Ulu Pandan and Choa Chu Kang.

According to media reports, Singapore has an average of 0.35 lightning deaths per million people each year, compared to 0.2 in Britain and 0.6 in the United States, making it one of the lightning capitals of the world.

The months of April, May, October and November are the most lightning-prone because of the intense inter-monsoon weather conditions.

“With an average of around 167 thunderstorm days a year, lightning strikes are a potential safety hazard for anyone engaging in outdoor activities in Singapore. Therefore, it’s important for the public to be alerted of potential lightning risks when out in the open,” said Ms Wong Chin Ling, Director-General of the MSS.

Besides providing real-time lightning information on an interactive map, the Lightning@SG app also displays animated radar images and gives a three-hour forecast of thundery showers. It is also capable of detecting different types of lightning as well as total lightning activity.

One of its features allows users to save up to three locations of interest. Users can zoom in on these locations to view geographical references such as landmarks, public swimming pools and national parks.

The app will also alert users and warn them when lightning is detected or when there is a forecast of thundery showers within six to eight kilometres from their saved locations.

Besides the app, the public can also get lightning information at the MSS website, or call the weather information hotline at 6542 7788.

In 2011, a man was killed after he was struck by lightning during a fishing trip to Coney Island. Prior to that, a golfer was killed by a lightning strike in 2009 at the Tanah Merah Country Club.

The MSS will also be distributing educational material on lightning safety to schools, community centres, and facilities that provide outdoor services to further educate the public on potential lightning risks. WOO SIAN BOON