Founded in 1987, Météorage installed the French Lightning Detection Network and now operates it on behalf of Météo-France. As a world première, Météorage introduced the concept of the valorization of lightning data by developing services based on the surveillance of a large-scale territory. In France, Météorage offers a wide range of real time and archived lightning data services tailored to suit the needs of an extended customer base.

Météorage exports its know how to help design lightning detection networks, define the market and run the value added services required by the customers.

Today, hundred of customers throughout Austria, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Tunisia use the services developed by Météorage on a daily basis.

 
  • 1987 : Franklin France, a French company specialized in lightning protection creates Météorage as a new company that installs a lightning detection network covering the whole country.
  • 1988 : Météorage develops the CATS software (Computer Aided Thunderstorm Surveillance System) to process lightning data and produce value added services.
  • 1990 : Sensors are installed in Switzerland to extend the coverage of the French network and serve new customers.
  • 1991 : Météo-France becomes owner of the network, Météorage maintains and operates the network. Météo-France is in charge of the quality control. The relationship between Météorage and Météo-France is governed by a convention.
  • 1990 - 1995  : Météorage is involved in the installation of networks in  Austria and Italy.
  • 1999 - 2000  :  The CATS software is installed in Spain and Tunisia.
  • 2001 : Météorage is acquired by Météo-France and Global Atmospherics manufacturer of lightning detection sensors
  • 2002 : CATS is installed in Portugal. Vaisala takes over Global Atmospherics and becomes share holder of Météorage

 

 
The mission of Météorage is to allow lightning detection network owners to obtain a return on their investment through the sale of value added services. For this purpose, Météorage developed a lightning data marketing strategy and the corresponding production tools.

Météorage's capabilities embrace different activities related to lightning detection :

  • Network management

Throughout its experience, Météorage has developed the knowledge required to run a lightning detection network in optimum conditions, but also to serve customers with real time, sensitive information. Specific tools have been developed to ease the network monitoring and tuning, and the interconnection of networks has always been one of Météorage’s goals. Also the systematic use of automatic and redundant elements allows to create safe and cost effective solutions to serve numerous customers.

  • Software development

Météorage has developed its CATS system as an industrial data processing architecture. This product can be easily tailored to a specific network size or customer base, adapted to serve host computers or enhanced to integrate other information with lightning data. The development team at Météorage, together with a strong partnership with Information Technology specialists, allows for a controlled development of the CATS system.

  • Engineering

The knowledge gained by Météorage during it’s more than 13 years of existence can be used at the time of planning the installation of a lightning detection network, preparing a data processing center or integrating lightning data with other information to meet a specific customer’s requirement. Météorage’s highly qualified engineers can study most lightning related issues and offer ad hoc solutions.

 

 
The French Lightning Detection Network is composed of 17 electromagnetic sensors produced by G.A.I. Similar sensors belonging to networks operating in neighboring countries are also connected to the Position Analyzer in charge of computing the flash location from the sensor data. The network is designed to effectively detect cloud to ground lightning over the whole French territory.

A data processing center receives all the sensor data, and serves customer with real time information or statistical analysis.

By combining the sensors installed in France, Italy and Spain, Météo-France, INM (Madrid),CESI (Milano) and Météorage set up an extended network that covers the south-western Europe and the western mediteranean sea. Primary users of this network are forecasters that benefit from the seamless coverage and can survey new areas.

Real time lightning data animation provided by this network is available on line !

 

 
The capability of the system to characterize real time flashes and to store them is interesting for many applications.

In real time, detecting the approach of a lightning phenomenon toward a sensitive area allows to apply safety rules and procedures. All transportation networks (electricity, telecom, railroads, motorways) can take advantage or this information, as well as the public in general.The industry, aeronautical sector and military forces are also candidates for this kind of applications. 

The access to archived lightning data allows to check a given situation for the presence or lightning events and also to study the characteristics and evolution of the lightning activity in any area. Insurance companies, as well as network operators trying to optimize the maintenance of their equipment can benefit from this knowledge.

 

 
The tools developed by Météorage in order to serve it’s customers with lightning data are available to network owners and operators willing to augment their number of users, ease data analysis or integrate lightning data in distinct environments.

The data processing concept developed by Météorage constitutes the Computer Aided Thunderstorm Surveillance, or CATS, system.

  • Among the core elements of CATS are:

The Acquisition module that connects to the Position Analyzer and organize the real time data flow.

The Lightning Data Base that stores all the flashes detected by the network for later analysis. It offers and extended SQL access to retrieve data.

The Geographic Data Base stores all the information required to produce background maps, display user’s equipment location and retrieve city positions.

The Customer Data Base controls end user’s access to the lightning data services, defines available functionalities and traces usage and activity.

  • Some of the available applications are :

Cartography to produce printed maps of a given situation (ex : 24 hours of activity over France).

Statistics to produce analysis of long term evolution (ex : lightning density in one year).

Automatic production allows those applications to run automatically for subscribing customers.

  • Remote end users can receive the following services :

Observation to display lightning activity on a PC screen, both real time access and data analysis are possible with this generic " lightning data terminal "

Alarm to be warned of the approach of a storm.

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