Predicting lightning with artificial intelligence

A new study from University of Washington (UW) has shown that machine learning can be used to improve forecasts for lightning. Lightning is a destructive force that has the potential to cause extensive damage to infrastructure, buildings and even create huge fires such as the massive California Lightning Complex fires. Having the ability to prepare for potential lightning forecasts could lead to better readiness for wildfires, improve warning times and create longer climate models. "The best subjects for machine learning are things that we don't fully understand," said Daehyun Kim, an associate professor of atmospheric sciences at UW. "And what is something in the atmospheric sciences field that remains poorly understood? To our knowledge, our work is the first to demonstrate that machine learning algorithms can work for lightning."