Cloud-to-Ground Lightning Activity in the 10–11 June 1985 Mesoscale Convective System Observed during the Oklahoma–Kansas PRE-STORM Project

1988 ◽  
Vol 116 (7) ◽  
pp. 1393-1408 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven A. Rutledge ◽  
Donald R. MacGorman
Keyword(s):  
Mesoscale Convective System ◽  
Lightning Activity ◽  
Convective System ◽  
Mesoscale Convective ◽  
Cloud To Ground Lightning

scholarly journals Comprehensive Analysis of a Coast Thunderstorm That Produced a Sprite over the Bohai Sea

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 718
Author(s):  
Cong Pan ◽  
Jing Yang ◽  
Kun Liu ◽  
Yu Wang
Keyword(s):  
Bohai Sea ◽  
Mesoscale Convective System ◽  
Convective System ◽  
Return Stroke ◽  
Absolute Value ◽  
Transient Luminous Events ◽  
Stratiform Region ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Mesoscale Convective ◽  
Cloud To Ground Lightning

Sprites are transient luminous events (TLEs) that occur over thunderstorm clouds that represent the direct coupling relationship between the troposphere and the upper atmosphere. We report the evolution of a mesoscale convective system (MCS) that produced only one sprite event, and the characteristics of this thunderstorm and the related lightning activity are analyzed in detail. The results show that the parent flash of the sprite was positive cloud-to-ground lightning (+CG) with a single return stroke, which was located in the trailing stratiform region of the MCS with a radar reflectivity of 25 to 35 dBZ. The absolute value of the negative CG (−CG) peak current for half an hour before and after the occurrence of the sprite was less than 50 kA, which was not enough to produce the sprite. Sprites tend to be produced early in the maturity-to-dissipation stage of the MCS, with an increasing percentage of +CG to total CG (POP), indicating that the sprite production was the attenuation of the thunderstorm and the area of the stratiform region.

scholarly journals SAETTA: high-resolution 3-D mapping of the total lightning activity in the Mediterranean Basin over Corsica, with a focus on a mesoscale convective system event

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 5765-5790 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvain Coquillat ◽  
Eric Defer ◽  
Pierre de Guibert ◽  
Dominique Lambert ◽  
Jean-Pierre Pinty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Altitude ◽  
Mediterranean Basin ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Mesoscale Convective System ◽  
Lightning Activity ◽  
Convective System ◽  
Stratiform Region ◽  
Mesoscale Convective ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
The Mediterranean Basin

Abstract. Deployed on the mountainous island of Corsica for thunderstorm monitoring purposes in the Mediterranean Basin, SAETTA is a network of 12 LMA (Lightning Mapping Array, designed by New Mexico Tech, USA) stations that allows the 3-D mapping of very high-frequency (VHF) radiation emitted by cloud discharges in the 60–66 MHz band. It works at high temporal (∼40 ns in each 80 µs time window) and spatial (tens of meters at best) resolution within a range of about 350 km. Originally deployed in May 2014, SAETTA was commissioned during the summer and autumn seasons and has now been permanently operational since April 2016 until at least the end of 2020. We first evaluate the performances of SAETTA through the radial, azimuthal, and altitude errors of VHF source localization with the theoretical model of Thomas et al. (2004). We also compute on a 240 km × 240 km domain the minimum altitude at which a VHF source can be detected by at least six stations by taking into account the masking effect of the relief. We then report the 3-year observations on the same domain in terms of number of lightning days per square kilometer (i.e., total number of days during which lightning has been detected in a given 1 km square pixel) and in terms of lightning days integrated across the domain. The lightning activity is first maximum in June because of daytime convection driven by solar energy input, but concentrates on a specific hot spot in July just above the intersection of the three main valleys. This hot spot is probably due to the low-level convergence of moist air fluxes from sea breezes channeled by the three valleys. Lightning activity increases again in September due to numerous small thunderstorms above the sea and to some high-precipitation events. Finally we report lightning observations of unusual high-altitude discharges associated with the mesoscale convective system of 8 June 2015. Most of them are small discharges on top of an intense convective core during convective surges. They are considered in the flash classification of Thomas et al. (2003) to be small–isolated and short–isolated flashes. The other high-altitude discharges, much less numerous, are long-range flashes that develop through the stratiform region and suddenly undergo upward propagations towards an uppermost thin layer of charge. This latter observation is apparently consistent with the recent conceptual model of Dye and Bansemer (2019) that explains such an upper-level layer of charge in the stratiform region by the development of a non-riming ice collisional charging in a mesoscale updraft.

scholarly journals Assimilation of Chinese Doppler Radar and Lightning Data Using WRF-GSI: A Case Study of Mesoscale Convective System

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Yang ◽  
Ying Wang ◽  
Kefeng Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Doppler Radar ◽  
Mesoscale Convective System ◽  
Cumulus Parameterization ◽  
Convective System ◽  
Microphysics Scheme ◽  
Precipitation Prediction ◽  
Mesoscale Convective ◽  
Cloud To Ground Lightning ◽  
Grid Points ◽  
Temperature Tendency

The radar-enhanced GSI (version 3.1) system and the WRF-ARW (version 3.4.1) model were modified to assimilate radar/lightning-proxy reflectivity. First, cloud-to-ground lightning data were converted to reflectivity using a simple assumed relationship between flash density and reflectivity. Next, the reflectivity was used in the cloud analysis of GSI to adjust the cloud/hydrometeors and moisture. Additionally, the radar/lightning-proxy reflectivity was simultaneously converted to a 3D temperature tendency. Finally, the model-calculated temperature tendencies from the explicit microphysics scheme, as well as cumulus parameterization at 3D grid points at which the radar temperature tendency is available, were updated in a forward full-physics step of diabatic digital filter initialization in the WRF-ARW. The WRF-GSI system was tested using a mesoscale convective system that occurred on June 5, 2009, and by assimilating Doppler radar and lightning data, respectively. The forecasted reflectivity with assimilation corresponded more closely to the observed reflectivity than that of the parallel experiment without assimilation, particularly during the first 6 h. After assimilation, the short-range precipitation prediction improved, although the precipitation intensity was stronger than the observed one. In addition, the improvements obtained by assimilating lightning data were worse than those from assimilating radar reflectivity over the first 3 h but improved thereafter.

scholarly journals Lightning activity related to satellite and radar observations of a mesoscale convective system over Texas on 7–8 April 2002

2005 ◽  
Vol 76 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 127-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolai Dotzek ◽  
Robert M. Rabin ◽  
Lawrence D. Carey ◽  
Donald R. MacGorman ◽  
Tracy L. McCormick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mesoscale Convective System ◽  
Lightning Activity ◽  
Convective System ◽  
Radar Observations ◽  
Mesoscale Convective

scholarly journals The origin and course of severe thunderstorm outbreaks in Poland on 10 and 11 August, 2017

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-39
Author(s):  
Sławomir Sulik ◽  
Marek Kejna
Keyword(s):  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Mesoscale Convective System ◽  
Radar Data ◽  
Lightning Strike ◽  
Convective System ◽  
Upward Movement ◽  
Severe Thunderstorm ◽  
Mesoscale Convective ◽  
Cloud To Ground Lightning ◽  
Map Analysis

AbstractThis study documents the evolution of severe thunderstorm outbreaks that occurred on 10 and 11 August, 2017 in Poland. This study used cloud-to-ground lightning-strike data from the PERUN lightning detection network managed by the Polish Institute of Meteorology and Water Management – National Research Institute. In the description of storm phenomena the authors also applied synoptic maps, meteorological radar data, vertical atmosphere soundings and meteorological data from the station in Poland. The aim of this study was to trace the causes of the upward movement of supercells including the Mesoscale Convective System day by day, and to examine relationships between lighting distributions on 10 and 11 August, 2017. In Poland, on August 10, 2017, 154,524 cloud-to-ground flashes (CG) occurred, and 56,510 CG flashes the next day. On August 10, around 18% of all flashes had a positive current, but 29% the next day. The spatial distribution of the lightning in Poland was computed for 10×10-km grid cells. Based on the map analysis it was found that on those two days most of the positive flashes occurred in Greater Poland and Kuyavian-Pomeranian voivodeships, as well as on the border of Opolskie and Lower Silesia.

Ensemble Probabilistic Prediction of a Mesoscale Convective System and Associated Polarimetric Radar Variables Using Single-Moment and Double-Moment Microphysics Schemes and EnKF Radar Data Assimilation

2017 ◽  
Vol 145 (6) ◽  
pp. 2257-2279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan J. Putnam ◽  
Ming Xue ◽  
Youngsun Jung ◽  
Nathan A. Snook ◽  
Guifu Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Mesoscale Convective System ◽  
Radar Data ◽  
Convective Precipitation ◽  
Convective System ◽  
Ensemble Forecasts ◽  
Verification Methods ◽  
Probabilistic Forecasts ◽  
Mesoscale Convective ◽  
Single Moment ◽  
Double Moment

Abstract Ensemble-based probabilistic forecasts are performed for a mesoscale convective system (MCS) that occurred over Oklahoma on 8–9 May 2007, initialized from ensemble Kalman filter analyses using multinetwork radar data and different microphysics schemes. Two experiments are conducted, using either a single-moment or double-moment microphysics scheme during the 1-h-long assimilation period and in subsequent 3-h ensemble forecasts. Qualitative and quantitative verifications are performed on the ensemble forecasts, including probabilistic skill scores. The predicted dual-polarization (dual-pol) radar variables and their probabilistic forecasts are also evaluated against available dual-pol radar observations, and discussed in relation to predicted microphysical states and structures. Evaluation of predicted reflectivity (Z) fields shows that the double-moment ensemble predicts the precipitation coverage of the leading convective line and stratiform precipitation regions of the MCS with higher probabilities throughout the forecast period compared to the single-moment ensemble. In terms of the simulated differential reflectivity (ZDR) and specific differential phase (KDP) fields, the double-moment ensemble compares more realistically to the observations and better distinguishes the stratiform and convective precipitation regions. The ZDR from individual ensemble members indicates better raindrop size sorting along the leading convective line in the double-moment ensemble. Various commonly used ensemble forecast verification methods are examined for the prediction of dual-pol variables. The results demonstrate the challenges associated with verifying predicted dual-pol fields that can vary significantly in value over small distances. Several microphysics biases are noted with the help of simulated dual-pol variables, such as substantial overprediction of KDP values in the single-moment ensemble.

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