Abstract: A severe weather monitoring system including a local event detector wherein the local event detector includes at least one electric field monitor and at least one electromagnetic sensor. A local grid computer receives local data from the electric field monitor and the electromagnetic sensor, the local grid computer is connected to the Internet to periodically send information about local environmental conditions to local and remote communications devices, such as computers and cell phones. The local grid computer includes software to analyze the local data and to post the local data to a computer network and wherein the local grid computer can trigger a local on site alert in event of the sensed data indicating a dangerous condition.