Compiling lightning counts for the UK land area and an assessment of the lightning risk facing UK inhabitants

Elsom, D.M.; Enno, Sven-Erik; Horseman, Andrew; Webb, Jonathan D.

doi:10.1002/wea.3077

Cited by 9 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Thunderstorm climatologies have traditionally been compiled and analysed using records kept by spotter networks which report thunder heard and lightning seen in different locations (Enno, 2015). Technology has progressed to include radar, satellite sensing and lightning location networks.…”

Section: Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…-Careful selection of time period and stations used (checking for changes in data collection) (Pinto, 2015) -Performing homogeneity tests to the data to see whether practice changes affect the results (Enno et al, 2013) -Compensating for bias by calculating thunderstorms per 1000 weather observations (van Delden, 2001) -Checking distribution against other data collection techniques to see whether they agree (Wapler and James, 2015) -Inconsistent observation and recording methods (van Delden, 2001) -Station relocation (Changnon, 2001) -Inconsistencies between different station locations' ability to hear thunder and see lightning such as topographic barriers, urban area light and noise interference (Enno, 2015). This may result in one location being able to detect thunderstorms at a much further distance than others.…”

Section: Manual Observation Data: Spotter Network Archives and Recordsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The intensity of these hazards may vary by region and time of the year and, indeed, from storm to storm. This hazardous weather can cause flooding; damage to property, infrastructure and crops; disruption to transport and outdoor maintenance; and injury and threat to life (Elsom et al, 2018;Piper et al, 2016). One example was the death of a hiker on a ridge in Glencoe, Scotland, in June 2019 (Halliday, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Review article: A comprehensive review of datasets and methodologies employed to produce thunderstorm climatologies

Hayward

Whitworth

Pepin

et al. 2020

Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. Thunderstorm and lightning climatological research is conducted with a view to increasing knowledge about the distribution of thunderstorm-related hazards and to gain an understanding of environmental factors increasing or decreasing their frequency. There are three main methodologies used in the construction of thunderstorm climatologies: thunderstorm frequency, thunderstorm tracking or lightning flash density. These approaches utilise a wide variety of underpinning datasets and employ many different methods ranging from correlations with potential influencing factors and mapping the distribution of thunderstorm day frequencies to tracking individual thunderstorm cell movements. Meanwhile, lightning flash density climatologies are produced using lightning data alone, and these studies therefore follow a more standardised format. Whilst lightning flash density climatologies are primarily concerned with the occurrence of cloud-to-ground lightning, the occurrence of any form of lightning confirms the presence of a thunderstorm and can therefore be used in the compilation of a thunderstorm climatology. Regardless of approach, the choice of analysis method is heavily influenced by the coverage and quality (detection efficiency and location accuracy) of available datasets as well as by the controlling factors which are under investigation. The issues investigated must also reflect the needs of the end-use application to ensure that the results can be used effectively to reduce exposure to hazard, improve forecasting or enhance climatological understanding.

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Section: Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Manual Observation Data: Spotter Network Archives and Recordsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Review article: A comprehensive review of datasets and methodologies employed to produce thunderstorm climatologies

Hayward

Whitworth

Pepin

et al. 2020

Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci.

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show abstract

“…Some thunderstorms may be only 5-10 kilometres and last only for an hour although many are much larger and last for many hours. The introduction of the Met Office Arrival Time Difference (ATD) lightning detection system in 1987 and its update, the updated Arrival Time Difference Network (ATDnet) system in 2008, were important contributions to thunderstorm observing and forecasting (Elsom et al, 2018). ATDnet's location accuracy for lightning strikes of 1-3 km or better over the UK, has enabled the detection and tracking of thunderstorms.…”

Section: Availability and Improvements In Forecasting Thunderstormsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors contributing to a long-term decrease in national lightning fatality rates: case study of the United Kingdom with wider implications

Elsom

2018

International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction

Self Cite

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Decadal average lightning fatality rates in the United Kingdom have decreased markedly from 1.09 deaths per million population per year (M-1 yr-1) in the 1850s to 0.02 M-1 yr-1 by the 2010s. Factors contributing to the decrease are explored. They include a large reduction in the national workforce engaged in manually-intensive agriculture. Consequently, agricultural workforce deaths fell from 38% of all lightning deaths around 1850 to 9% by 2000. The percentage of the national population living in urban areas, where many jobs were indoors, increased. As buildings were modernised with electric and plumbing circuits they offered greater protection from lightning. Consequently, deaths indoors fell from 39% in 1850 to 11% in 1950, and with none in the past 50 years. Other factors contributing to lower fatality rates in recent decades included improved thunderstorm forecasts, lightning location detection systems, stricter safety regulations for outdoor workers, advances in the medical treatment of lightning casualties, better communication and road networks to request and receive medical help promptly, and greater public awareness of the lightning threat. Factors slowing down the fatality rate decrease include population growth and, in recent decades, the increased participation in outdoor leisure and sports pursuits in exposed locations. Fatality rates in other countries are explored. It is suggested that by recognising the influence each factor has on lightning fatality rates, countries currently experiencing high lightning fatality rates may be able to accelerate and enhance the beneficial impacts of some factors, albeit after adjustments to reflect their national social, economic and cultural characteristics.

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“…The intensity of these hazards may vary by region and time of the year and, indeed, from storm to storm. This hazardous weather can cause flooding; damage to property, infrastructure and crops; 5 disruption to transport and outdoor maintenance; injury and a threat to life (Elsom et al, 2018;Piper et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review Article: A comprehensive review of datasets and methodologies employed to produce thunderstorm climatologies

Hayward¹,

Whitworth²,

Pepin³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Abstract. Thunderstorm and lightning climatological research is conducted with a view to increasing knowledge about the distribution of thunderstorm related hazards and to gain an understanding of environmental factors increasing or decreasing their frequency. There are three main methodologies used in the construction of thunderstorm climatologies; thunderstorm frequency, thunderstorm tracking or lightning flash density. These approaches utilise a wide variety of underpinning datasets and employ many different methods ranging from correlations with potential influencing factors and mapping the distribution of thunderstorm day frequencies, to tracking individual thunderstorm cell movements. Meanwhile, lightning flash density climatologies are produced using lightning data alone and these studies therefore follow a more standardised format. Whilst lightning flash density climatologies are primarily concerned with the occurrence of cloud to ground lightning, the occurrence of any form of lightning confirms the presence of a thunderstorm and can therefore be used in the compilation of a thunderstorm climatology. Regardless of approach, the choice of analysis method is heavily influenced by dataset coverage, quality and the controlling factors under investigation. The issues investigated must also reflect the needs of the end use application to ensure that the results can be used effectively to reduce exposure to hazard, improve forecasting or enhance climatological understanding.

show abstract

Compiling lightning counts for the UK land area and an assessment of the lightning risk facing UK inhabitants

Cited by 9 publications

References 25 publications

Review article: A comprehensive review of datasets and methodologies employed to produce thunderstorm climatologies

Review article: A comprehensive review of datasets and methodologies employed to produce thunderstorm climatologies

Factors contributing to a long-term decrease in national lightning fatality rates: case study of the United Kingdom with wider implications

Review Article: A comprehensive review of datasets and methodologies employed to produce thunderstorm climatologies

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