Applications of GOES GLM Data in Western Colorado and Eastern Utah

The Grand Junction National Weather Service forecast area is situated west of the Continental Divide and covers western Colorado and eastern Utah. In the Intermountain West, convective thunderstorms often form in remote locations far from observational networks. Additionally, extreme topography and high-altitude base radar coverage offers additional challenges for the warning and forecast process. The spatial and temporal advances provided by GOES 16 and 17 satellite data have been critical in advancing the weather surveillance ability of forecasters in the GJT CWA. In 2018, GOES Geostationary Lightning Mapper data was made available to forecasters using AWIPS. This data has been a critical asset to forecasters, especially when complimented with pre-existing ground-based lightning networks. Several cases will be examined where GLM data have aided forecasters in the warning process, both in winter and summer convective scenarios. The role of GLM data in the decision-support services process will be discussed.