Now, AI can predict where and when lightning will strike

New Delhi, Nov 11 (ANI): Since lightning is considered one of the most unpredictable natural occurrences of nature, researchers found a method of predicting when lightning may strike. At EPFL's School of Engineering, researchers in the Electromagnetic Compatibility Laboratory, led by Farhad Rachidi, have developed a simple and inexpensive system that can predict when lightning will strike to the nearest 10 to 30 minutes, within a 30-kilometre radius. The system uses a combination of standard meteorological data and artificial intelligence. What's more, because the data can be acquired easily and in real-time, predictions can be made very quickly -- and alerts can be issued even before a storm has formed. The EPFL researchers' method uses a machine-learning algorithm that has been trained to recognise conditions that lead to lightning. To carry out the training, the researchers used data collected over a ten-year period from 12 Swiss weather stations, located in both urban and mountain