Comparison of GOES-16 Geostationary Lightning Mapper Data to Lightning Mapping Array Data

The Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) on Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-16 (GOES-16) began collecting lightning data in early 2016, and a focused effort has been made to create visualizations of GLM data that are useful for researcher and forecaster alike. Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) data have been used for research and in an operational setting for localized regions across the country for several decades. As the GLM data become more widely available, particularly to forecasters, it is important to understand how these data compare to LMA data that scientists have used previously. Case studies of individual storm events have been chosen to highlight instances where the GLM and LMA have similar lightning rates and locations and where they do not. Recognizing the circumstances where the detection efficiency of the two instruments are similar and different will provide insight to forecasters about how best to utilize the GLM data in an operational setting.