Earth Networks Total Lightning Network®
AEM’s global total lightning detection network is built for accuracy and trust. High-quality data, precise locations, and dependable performance support critical decisions worldwide.
- Deliver more complete in-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning data
- Maintain high data quality with near-zero false alarm rate (<0.25%)
- Precisely locate lightning with <100 m accuracy
- What to know
- Reliable data
- Accurate detection
- Real-time delivery
- Related products
What to know
The first total lightning network
At AEM, we pioneered total lightning as the first innovator to accurately detect and classify both in-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning, capturing the full electrical structure of storms.
Built for critical decisions
Designed with strict quality controls to deliver high-volume lightning data that can be used confidently in safety and operational settings.
Trusted around the world
Used by public safety agencies, government organizations, data partners, and industry to manage lightning risk across regions and worldwide.
Reliable lightning data you can trust
Lightning data only adds value when it’s accurate and consistent. ENTLN is designed to detect more lightning without introducing noise, using strict quality controls to ensure detections reflect real storm activity, not interference or artifacts.
Features
- Near-zero false alarm rate (<0.25%) maintained through multi-stage quality checks
- AI-based quality assurance filters inaccurate or poorly located detections
- Stable, repeatable detection that supports confident operational decisions
Built for accurate lightning detection
Developed and refined by AEM’s lightning scientists, the Earth Networks Total Lightning Network uses time-of-arrival measurements across multiple sensors to accurately locate lightning worldwide. Regional processing optimizes detection of both in-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning using direct measurements.
The result is >95% classification accuracy, <100 m global location accuracy, and up to 95% detection efficiency (depending on sensor density).
ENTLN is built on:
- Patented broadband sensors with a 20× wider frequency range
- A global network of 1,800+ sensors across more than 100 countries
Fast access to lightning data around the globe
ENTLN delivers lightning data quickly and consistently to support time-sensitive decisions as storms evolve. Data is processed and delivered globally in seconds, with 99.9% uptime to ensure reliable data delivery during active weather.
Lightning data from ENTLN is delivered through APIs, data feeds, and AEM software, supporting developers, forecasters, emergency managers, and operational teams.
Features
- Lightning data delivered globally in under 15 seconds
- Processes an average of ~50 lightning detections per second worldwide
- Real-time and historical access via APIs and data feeds for models, apps, and analytics
- Visualization and alerting through AEM Elements® 360 and Sferic Maps®
Related products and services
Discover products powered by the Earth Networks Total Lightning Network.
See how your lightning risk measures up
Powered by the ENTLN, AEM’s 2025 U.S. Lightning Report delivers top stories, deep insights, and comprehensive observations of lightning activity for every state and county. Plus, get bonus data for top airports, outdoor venues, and tourist destinations.
Frequently asked questions
The Earth Networks Total Lightning Network was the first lightning network to accurately measure and classify both in-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning. In the past, most lightning detection networks only focused on cloud-to-ground strikes. That’s why we say it’s a “total” lightning network.
In-cloud lightning is an indicator of danger for cloud-to-ground strikes in areas where those strikes might not be occurring yet. That means that if you only monitor cloud-to-ground strikes, you’re taking a reactive approach to lightning safety rather than a proactive one.
Cloud-to-ground lightning is just what it sounds like: a bolt of lightning shoots between a storm cloud and the earth. This is what most of us think about when we think of “lightning.” In-cloud lightning refers to the electrical activity that happens high above our heads within the storm but never makes it to ground. Typically, storms that produce cloud-to-ground strikes have even more activity occurring within the storm system. The ENTLN delivers the most accurate global lightning classification accuracy of >95%.
ENTLN data can be visualized using the AEM Elements® 360 multi-hazard decision support application or Sferic Maps.
You can set alerts and notifications around proximity thresholds for a specific location directly in Elements 360 or Sferic Maps. You can receive those alerts directly via the application, email, or text.
The data from an AEM lightning sensor is best viewed within our AEM Elements 360 or Sferic Maps® application. From there, your data can be exported in a variety of sharable formats.
Our lightning sensor’s measurement range is 20km – 400km with an accuracy of <100 meters. That means it can pinpoint a lightning strike nearly 250 miles away to an area with a radius less than two and a half football fields.
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