FLASHMAP: A Global Gridded Cloud-to-Ground and Intra-Cloud Lightning Dataset

The Flash Location Aggregation from Strokes into a High-resolution Multi-scale Analysis Product (FLASHMAP) dataset is a global gridded lightning product derived from Vaisala’s Global Lightning Detection Network (GLD360) stroke detections. It provides comprehensive information on both cloud-to-ground (CG) and intra-cloud (IC) lightning events at multiple spatiotemporal resolutions. FLASHMAP consists of two data categories: Main lightning data Flash variables Counts of CG and IC flashes Flash multiplicity statistics of CG and IC flashes CG stroke variables Counts of +CG and -CG strokes Peak current statistics of +CG and -CG strokes IC stroke variables Counts of +IC and -IC strokes Peak current statistics of +IC and -IC strokes Ancillary data Global grid cell areas at multiple spatial resolutions Location accuracy Location accuracy statistics of CG strokes Location accuracy statistics of IC strokes Absolute peak current percentiles of total strokes The 5th percentile The 95th percentile Number of sensor reports of total strokes Note 1: A CG flash contains at least one CG stroke; an IC flash consists exclusively of IC strokes. Note 2: The multiplicity of a CG flash is the count of CG strokes it contains; the multiplicity of an IC flash is the count of IC strokes it contains. Note 3: Total strokes represent the sum of CG and IC strokes. FLASHMAP attributes: Temporal coverage: 2019–2024 Spatial coverage: Global (90°S–90°N, 180°W–180°E) Spatial reference system: Geographic coordinates (WGS84, EPSG:4326) Spatiotemporal resolutions: Main lightning data: 0.5° monthly 0.25° daily 0.1° hourly Ancillary data: Global grid cell area: 0.5°, 0.25°, and 0.1° Others: 0.25° monthly Institutions: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL) University of East Anglia (UK) Contact: [e-mail] [e-mail] [e-mail] All main and ancillary data are stored in NetCDF version 4 format.