Country Energy - Storm Tracker

Storm Tracker

Storm Tracker disclaimer
from where does Country Energy get the lightning strike information?
why is the Storm Tracker image delayed?
by how much is the Storm Tracker image delayed?
can Country Energy provide me with historical lightning strike information?
why doesn't Storm Tracker cover more of Australia?
how do I know if the Storm Tracker page is working?
I can't see any strike symbols. Why?
how accurate is the placement of strike symbols on the map?
how can I tell if a storm is approaching or retreating from my location?
what should I do if Storm Tracker indicates a storm is heading my way?

Storm Tracker disclaimer

Storm Tracker is supplied as a free information service. Country Energy does not guarantee the accuracy of the information at any time. Customers should not rely entirely on the Storm Tracker page in making weather related decisions. Please check satellite image and Bureau of Meteorology weather radars images (accessible from Storm Tracker page) for a complete picture of current weather conditions.

from where does Country Energy get the lightning strike information?

We subscribe to a data service provided by Global Position and Tracking Systems (Australia) - GPATS.

By arrangement with GPATS , we are permitted to display a delayed (by 15 minutes) image on our website.

why is the Storm Tracker image delayed?

The data stream we use to display the Storm Tracker map is a commercial service provided by GPATS. Individuals or organisations wishing to have comprehensive and up to the minute access to lightning strike data will need to obtain the data on a commercial basis from GPATS.

The Storm Tracker service provided by Country Energy is similar to stock quotes provided free of charge on the internet by banks and other organisations. Such quotes are delayed. People requiring live quotes need to subscribe to a commercial service.

by how much is the Storm Tracker image delayed?

The information (strike symbols) shown on our map is always at least 15 minutes old. The image is updated every 15 minutes. As such, at any one time, the information displayed on our map is between 15 and 30 minutes old.

can Country Energy provide me with historical lightning strike information?

Country Energy cannot provide any information other than that which is available on the Storm Tracker pages.

Persons or companies wishing to obtain historical information can do so by contacting GPATS. GPATS is a commercial service.

why doesn't Storm Tracker cover more of Australia?

Under the terms of our arrangement with GPATS, we are permitted to show the Country Energy distribution network area and its immediate surrounds.

how do I know if the Storm Tracker page is working?

The map image has a date and time stamp in the top left corner.

If the stamp agrees with the approximate current time, assume the system is working. It is probable that there is no storm activity occurring at the time within the coverage area.

If the stamp does not agree with the approximate current time, it is possible that the Storm Tracker is temporarily unavailable due to maintenance or a hardware problem.

NOTE: In some cases, due to computer or communications problems, although the time stamp appears to be correct, Storm Tracker may not be showing lightning activity that is occurring. We endeavour to rectify these problems as soon as possible.

I can't see any strike symbols. Why?

Either....

There is no current storm activity in the coverage area; or
The Storm Tracker system is currently unavailable or is experiencing a telecommunications problem.

how accurate is the placement of strike symbols on the map?

Whilst the underlying system supplying our strike data is accurate to within 200 metres, the accuracy of symbols on the map is limited by the scale of the map.

Each strike symbol (+) fits within an area approximately 23km x 23km.
Town positions are also approximate.

how can I tell if a storm is approaching or retreating from my location?

The strike symbols are colour coded white-yellow-green-grey with white being the most recent and grey the oldest.

Note that lightning strikes often appear so scattered that it's difficult to determine whether they belong to a single or different storm cells, or whether the cells are stationery or moving appreciably.

Direction of travel is easier to determine for large, intense storm cells like our Perfect Storm example.

If you see a storm cell and the symbols are white on the eastern edge and green or grey on the western edge, for example, it indicates that the cell is travelling to the east. The majority of storms in our part of Australia travel from west to east.

what should I do if Storm Tracker indicates a storm is heading my way?

Go outside and check if the arrival of the storm is imminent.

If it is, take precautions to safeguard life and property before it arrives.

Refer to our supply reliability FAQs for more information.