NLDN data request for WV mine incident

Dan Robinson

I'm curious if anyone has access to NLDN data for Monday morning between 5:00AM and 8:00AM for central West Virginia.

I'm specifically interested in seeing a plot of all cloud-to-lightning strokes recorded during this time frame in the vicinity of the towns of Ivy, Sago, Tallmansville, Hampton, Hinkleville, Tenmile and Gould in Upshur County, West Virginia.

This area is immediately south of the city of Buckhannon, east of I-79 north of Charleston and south of Clarksburg.

If anyone has this information and could forward it to me or post it I would be extremely grateful.
 
Hi Dan:

I know that the data is available and I use it quite often for cases that I work on. The only fly in the ointment here is that it will cost the person requesting the info. around $125.00 for the data, a map and a strike details report. It will give you exactly what you want, but it will cost some money. If that's what you're interested in doing, go to this link and you can order the reports. Good luck.

https://thunderstorm.vaisala.com/tux/jsp/st...kenet/login.jsp
 
You might try USPLN, they seem to be a bit cheaper. But as noted nobody can give you that data (legally) for free.
 
I have never heard of this company. I use NLDN from Vaisala and have done so for many years. The clients that call me also use NLDN.

Are their products comparable in quality and price? I like the NLDN detail of all the reports they have.
 
Just saw this on Yahoo:
The Charleston (W.Va.) Gazette reported Thursday that a federal contractor that monitors thunderstorms detected three lightning strikes within five miles of the Sago mine within a half hour of Monday's explosions. The contractor, Vaisala Inc., said two of the strikes, including one that was four to 10 times stronger than average, hit within 1 1/2 miles of the mine.
Click to expand...

Full link is http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060105/ap_on_...WtkBHNlYwM3MTg-

I'm always skeptical when there's a legal and financial motive to blame God for an accident.
 
I find it hard to believe that a lightning strike more than a mile away, and 30 minutes around the time of the incident, could cause this. Seems like the lightning strike would 1) need to be closer and 2) need to be at the time of the explosion, not 30 minutes prior.
 
I find it hard to believe that a lightning strike more than a mile away, and 30 minutes around the time of the incident, could cause this. Seems like the lightning strike would 1) need to be closer and 2) need to be at the time of the explosion, not 30 minutes prior.
Click to expand...

But it does say it his WITHIN 1 1/2 miles and WITHIN 30 minutes of the event. What resolution does the Vaisala detection system have? I thought it was much better than 1.5 miles, but perhaps their erring some uncertainty given the magnitude (financial, legal, etc) of the event.
 
A few people have forwarded me some data (Thanks guys!!). Apparently the Gazette did the same research and there does appear to be a handful of strikes in Upshur county with two that are close to the mine (but not right over it).

All of the cloud-to-ground strikes that I witnessed when the storm passed overhead in Charleston were the unusually bright, loud 'sonic-booming' thunder variety.

It will be interesting to see what the investigation reveals.
 
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