Lightning strikes can mess with your GPS, says new study
Technology
Turns out, when lightning hits the ground, it can actually mess with the ionosphere—the layer that helps GPS and radio signals travel.
Researchers tracked lightning and GPS data from cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Lucknow, and Kanpur in early 2024.
They found that strong lightning discharges were followed by measurable TEC fluctuations typically within two to 35 minutes.
Why should you care?
India experiences some of the world's highest lightning activity.
When this happens, your maps or navigation apps might get less accurate because the signal gets scrambled.
So next time your GPS is acting weird during a storm, you'll know why.