Establishment of lightning detection sensors network in India: generation of essential climate variable and characterization of cloud-to-ground lightning occurrences

Abstract Video recordings of cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flashes have been analyzed in conjunction with correlated stroke reports from the U.S. National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) to determine whether the NLDN is capable of identifying the different ground contacts in CG flashes. For 39 negative CG flashes that were recorded on video near Tucson, Arizona, the NLDN-based horizontal distances between the first stroke and the 62 subsequent strokes remaining in a preexisting channel had a mean and standard deviation of 0.9 ± 0.8 km and a median of 0.7 km. The horizontal distances between the first stroke and the 59 new ground contacts (NGCs) had a mean and standard deviation of 2.3 ± 1.7 km and a median of 2.1 km. These results are in good agreement with prior measurements of the random errors in NLDN positions in southern Arizona as well as video- and thunder-based measurements of the distances between all ground contacts in Florida. In cases where the distances between ground contacts are small and obscured by random errors in the NLDN locations, measurements of the stroke rise time, estimated peak current, and stroke order can be utilized to enhance the ability of the NLDN to identify strokes that produce new ground terminations.

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Algorithm for Improved QPE over Complex Terrain Using Cloud-to-Ground Lightning Occurrences

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos10020085 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 85

Author(s):

Carlos Minjarez-Sosa ◽

Julio Waissman ◽

Christopher Castro ◽

David Adams

Keyword(s):

Complex Terrain ◽

Convective Precipitation ◽

North American Monsoon ◽

Monsoon Region ◽

Convective Rainfall ◽

The Third ◽

The North ◽

Lightning Detection ◽

Cloud To Ground Lightning ◽

Noise Test

Lightning and deep convective precipitation have long been studied as closely linked variables, the former being viewed as a proxy, or estimator, of the latter. However, to date, no single methodology or algorithm exists for estimating lightning-derived precipitation in a gridded form. This paper, the third in a series, details the specific algorithm where convective rainfall was estimated with cloud-to-ground lightning occurrences from the U.S. National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN), for the North American Monsoon region. Specifically, the authors present the methodology employed in their previous studies to get this estimation, noise test, spatial and temporal neighbors and the algorithm of the Kalman filter for dynamically derived precipitation from lightning.

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Statistical characterization of cloud-to-ground lightning data and meteorological modelling of cloud-to-ground lightning days for the warm season in the province of León (northwest Spain)

Meteorological Applications ◽

10.1002/met.1590 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 23 (4) ◽

pp. 671-682

Author(s):

José Luis Marcos-Menéndez ◽

Fernando Castedo-Dorado ◽

José Ramón Rodríguez-Pérez

Keyword(s):

Warm Season ◽

Statistical Characterization ◽

Cloud To Ground Lightning ◽

Meteorological Modelling

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A 10-Year Study on the Characteristics of Thunderstorms in Belgium Based on Cloud-to-Ground Lightning Data

Monthly Weather Review ◽

10.1175/mwr-d-14-00202.1 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 142 (12) ◽

pp. 4839-4849 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Dieter R. Poelman

Keyword(s):

Cell Tracking ◽

Total Activity ◽

The West ◽

European Cooperation ◽

Lightning Detection ◽

Cloud To Ground Lightning ◽

A Cell ◽

Direction Of Movement ◽

Temporal And Spatial ◽

The Individual

Abstract Temporal and spatial distributions of cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning in Belgium are analyzed. Based on data from the European Cooperation for Lightning Detection (EUCLID) network, spanning a period of 10 years between 2004 and 2013, mean CG flash densities vary between 0.3 km−2 yr−1 in the west up to 2.4 km−2 yr−1 toward the east of Belgium, with an average flash density of 0.7 km−2 yr−1. The same behavior is found in terms of thunderstorm days and hours, where in the east most of the activity is observed, with a drop-off toward the coast. The majority of lightning activity takes place in the summer months between May and August, accounting for nearly 90% of the total activity. Furthermore, the thunderstorm season reaches its highest activity in July in terms of CG detections, while the diurnal cycle peaks between 1500 and 1600 UTC. A correlation is found between the estimated peak currents and altitude, with on average higher absolute peak currents at lower elevations and vice versa. In addition, a cell tracking algorithm is applied to the data to monitor the behavior of the individual cells. It is found that the lightning cells travel at an average speed of about 25 km h−1, with a preferred northeasterly direction of movement. At last, CG flash rates are strongly related to the cell area.

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Pre- and Postupgrade Distributions of NLDN Reported Cloud-to-Ground Lightning Characteristics in the Contiguous United States

Monthly Weather Review ◽

10.1175/2010mwr3283.1 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 138 (9) ◽

pp. 3623-3633 ◽

Cited By ~ 45

Author(s):

Scott D. Rudlosky ◽

Henry E. Fuelberg

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

General Increase ◽

Return Stroke ◽

Southeast United States ◽

Peak Current ◽

Lightning Detection ◽

Before And After ◽

Cloud To Ground Lightning ◽

Increased Sensitivity ◽

Weak Peak

Abstract The National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) underwent a major upgrade during 2002–03 that increased its sensitivity and improved its performance. It is important to examine cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning distributions before and after this upgrade because CG characteristics depend on both measurement capabilities and meteorological variability. This study compares preupgrade (1996–99, 2001) and postupgrade (2004–09) CG distributions over the contiguous United States to examine the influence of the recent upgrade and to provide baseline postupgrade averages. Increased sensitivity explains most of the differences in the pre- and postupgrade distributions, including a general increase in total CG and positive CG (+CG) flash densities. The increase in +CG occurs despite the use of a greater weak +CG threshold for removing ambiguous +CG reports (post 15 kA versus pre 10 kA). Conversely, the average +CG percentage decreased from 10.61% to 8.65% following the upgrade. The average +CG (−CG) multiplicity increased from 1.10 (2.05) before to 1.54 (2.41) after the upgrade. Since true +CG flashes rarely contain more than one return stroke, explanations for the greater than unity +CG multiplicities remain unclear. Postupgrade results indicate that regions with mostly weak peak current +CG flashes now exhibit greater average +CG multiplicities, whereas regions with mainly strong +CG flashes now exhibit smaller average +CG multiplicities. The combination of NLDN performance, meteorological conditions, and physical differences in first −CG return strokes over saltwater produce maxima in −CG multiplicity and peak current over the coastal waters of the southeast United States.

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Characterization of positive cloud-to-ground Lightning Discharges

2010 30th International Conference on Lightning Protection (ICLP) ◽

10.1109/iclp.2010.7845854 ◽

2010 ◽

Author(s):

Amitabh Nag ◽

Vladimir A. Rakov ◽

Dimitris Tsalikis ◽

John A. Cramer

Keyword(s):

Lightning Discharges ◽

Cloud To Ground Lightning

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Diurnal Variations of NLDN-Reported Cloud-to-Ground Lightning in the United States

Monthly Weather Review ◽

10.1175/mwr-d-13-00121.1 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 142 (3) ◽

pp. 1037-1052 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Ronald L. Holle

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

The United States ◽

Maximum Activity ◽

Lightning Flash ◽

Diurnal Changes ◽

Lightning Detection ◽

Cloud To Ground Lightning ◽

Local Mean ◽

Composite Maps ◽

Mean Time

Abstract National maps of cloud-to-ground lightning flash density (in flashes per square kilometer per year) for one or more years have been produced since the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) was first deployed across the contiguous United States in 1989. However, no single publication includes maps of cloud-to-ground flash density across the domain and adjacent areas during the entire diurnal cycle. Cloud-to-ground lightning has strong and variable diurnal changes across the United States that should be taken into account for outdoor lightning-vulnerable activities, particularly those involving human safety. For this study, NLDN cloud-to-ground flash data were compiled in 20 km by 20 km grid squares from 2005 to 2012 for the lower 48 states. A unique feature of this study is that maps were prepared to coincide with local time, not time zones. NLDN flashes were assigned to 2-h time periods in 5° longitude bands. Composite maps of the 2-h periods with the most lightning in each grid square were also prepared. The afternoon from 1200 to 1800 local mean time provides two-thirds of the day’s lightning. However, lightning activity starts before noon over western mountains and onshore along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts. These areas are where recurring lightning-vulnerable recreation and workplace activities should expect the threat at these times, rather than view them as an anomaly. An additional result of the study is the midday beginning of lightning over the higher terrain of the western states, then the maximum activity moves steadily eastward. These storms pose a threat to late-afternoon and evening recreation. In some Midwest and plains locations, lightning is most frequent after midnight.

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