Vaisala improves monitoring time

LOUISVILLE – Vaisala Inc., a Finland-based company with operations in Louisville, can now tell customers about lightning activity around the country within 15 seconds after it happens, the company said.

Improved satellite technology, ground sensors placed in locations around the United States and better algorithm processing settings all went into making a quicker “real-time data feed,´ said Nikki Hembury, product manager of the National Lightning Detection Network. The company’s reporting time previously was 30 seconds.

With the increased speed, customers “will gain precious seconds to take planned precautions against the threat of severe weather conditions,” Hembury said in a statement.

Improvements also are expected to mean better forecasts, better safety measures and more operational efficiency for customers, Vaisala said. The National Weather Service, various airports and air traffic controllers, the U.S. Air Force Weather Agency and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration are customers, among others.

Vaisala has about 130 employees in Colorado who make equipment, said Helena Marjaranta, a local spokeswoman. It’s headquartered in Finland and employs more than 1,400 people worldwide. Annual revenue is about $300 million.

on Facebook on LinkedIn