Developed and tested by the National Severe Storms Laboratory, WDT runs a suite of algorithms on most of the 140 NEXRAD radars in the Continental U.S.
These algorithms include:

• Storm ID and Tracking
• Hail Detection/Prediction
• Hailswath Prediction
• Damaging Downburst Prediction and Detection
• Mesocyclone Detection
• Tornado Detection

Updating every 4 to 6 minutes during storm events, these algorithms are designed to identify and/or predict the occurrence of severe weather phenomena such as damaging winds, tornadoes and hail. In addition, the algorithms forecast the likely path of tornadoes, mesocyclones and hail producing storms.
Each alerting product will be available mapped onto a 2 km grid covering CONUS and into Canada, updating every 5 minutes and include:

• Estimated time of threat arrival.
• Estimated time of threat departure.
• Threat accumulation (e.g. total snowfall, number of lightning strikes, etc).
• Alerts include National Weather Service Watches and Warnings and WDT advisories and warnings specifically:
• 30 minute predictions of severe storms and their attendant tornadoes, lightning, hail (occurrence and estimated size) and severe/damaging winds.
• Lightning detected within a certain distance from your location
• Provides 30 minute predictions of lightning threat, including estimated time of arrival
• Provides detection and alerting of lightning within a preset distance from your chosen location(s)
• Provides lightning all clear information, including estimated time of all clear before it occurs
• Provides all National Weather Services watches and warnings
• Up to 6 hour forecasts of heavy rain, snow, icing conditions, etc.
• Estimated arrival and departure times of the weather threat.
• Estimated precipitation accumulation (rain and/or snow)
• Alerts can be sent to you via Internet, e-mail, cell phone, and/or pager

WDT's goal is to keep you safe by alerting you about lightning (and other hazardous weather events) that will potentially cause unsafe conditions at your location.