When NexStorm has detected what it believes to be a structured thunderstorm system, it will start tracking it until the storm dissipates or the tracking could not be maintained for other reasons.  The thunderstorms being tracked will be listed in the Thunderstorm Report as illustrated in the figure above.

The time stamp on this report (other than the sample above) should not be any more than 30 minutes old.  If the listed time is older than that, then either the SaskLightning detector is offline and/or not able to upload data to the SaskLightning Website or your web browser is displaying an old "cached" copy of the website and needs to be refreshed (usually with the <F5> key).

The red significant thunderstorm activity warning will be displayed when NexStorm is tracking thunderstorms of Strong or Severe intensity that approach within 100 Km of Saskatoon.  When this warning is displayed, pay special attention to developing weather in the Saskatoon area, monitoring local news if possible for alerts.

Thunderstorms can develop suddenly.  It is possible for a severe storm to develop quickly and with little warning.  Even Weak or Moderate storms can cause death or injury.  Lightning can be present in significant amounts even when NexStorm is not tracking any structured thunderstorms.  Seek proper shelter well in advance of approaching lightning whenever possible.

TStorm ID (Targets)
A tracked thunderstorm is called a target and the location of each target will be drawn on the StrikeImage map.  Targets can have different colours depending on the  intensity of the storm being tracked.  Each target is given its own identification code, a letter followed by a dash and one or more digits.  These ID codes are generated randomly.

Distance in kms
This is the distance from the SaskLightning detector to the tracked thunderstorm.

Bearing in Degrees
This is the direction to the thunderstorm target from the SaskLightning detector.  0 is north, 90 is east, 180 is south and 270 is west.

Storm Intensity
Intensity classification.  This can be Weak (Green), Moderate (Yellow), Strong(Orange) or Severe (Red).  Storm intensity is determined by a combination of both the rate of lightning strikes and distance from the detector.  This means a storm with a low strike rate but very far away might be classed as a strong thunderstorm but the same strike rate for a close storm might result in only a weak intensity classification.

Current Trend
The rate per minute of a thunderstorm over the last few minutes.  This can be Undetermined, No Change, Intensifying or Weakening.

Strikes per/min
This is the last recorded number of lightning strikes in one minute.

Peak per/min
This is the peak strike rate over one minute for a thunderstorm since it was first tracked.

Total Strikes
This is the total number of lightning strikes recorded since the thunderstorm was first tracked.

Cloud to Ground
This is the total number of lightning strikes between the clouds and ground recorded since the thunderstorm was first tracked.

Cloud to Cloud
This is the total number of lightning strikes between or within clouds recorded since the thunderstorm was first tracked.

Positive Cloud to Ground
This is the total number of positive lightning strikes between the ground and cloud since the thunderstorm was first tracked.  This lightning usually comes from the top of the cloud or anvil.  Due to its long, continuing current this is considered to be the most dangerous form of lightning and is often the cause of lightning initiated fires and deaths.  Thunderstorms with a very large amount of +CG lightning could be indicative of tornado activity.  This lightning can sometimes travel great distances in its search for a path to the ground.  Since it can travel so far from the originating cloud, +CG lightning can seem to "come out of nowhere".  This is why you should seek proper shelter well before thunderstorms arrive.