Studying Recorded lightning over Iraq for Period 1998-2011

This research studies distribution of thunderstorm in Iraq for the period (1998-2011), the result showed that the largest regions which had been hit by lightning stroke were between latitude (35-36◦)E and longitude (45-46◦)N, and April was the most frequent of lightning occurrence, also the results showed that the number of flashes of most lightning cases were between (50-100) with higher number of flashes for some special cases. The studying of meteorological parameters which accompanied thunderstorm formation such as (Mean sea level pressure, Lifting index, relative humidity and Vertical velocity) illustrates the values of mean sea level pressure were increased during the hours after lightning occurrence comparing with their values before and at the time of lightning occurrence and their monthly mean value much greater than that recorded at the time of lightning occurrence, in addition the values of lifting index were negative at the time of lightning occurrence that refer to instability whereas their monthly average showed positive values. The values of relative humidity were greater at lightning recorded time at the three levels (500, 700, 1000)mb and also through the hours before and after this time comparing with their monthly mean. Vertical velocity values were negative for the three levels at the time of lightning occurrence that is referring to upward motion which is necessary for thundercloud initiation, and their monthly mean values were mostly negative at (500, 700)mb whereas were positive at the surface level