Parameters of lightning activity in the tropical cyclones at the stage of maximum development in August 2016

Abstract

This article discusses the parameters of thunderstorm activity in the structure of tropical cyclones that had an impact on the Russian Far East in August 2016. The study shows in detail the change in the cloud mass and describes its structure during the lifetime of the most powerful tropical cyclone Lionrock (2016). It is shown that the density distribution of lightning discharges in the range of tropical cyclones (up to 1000 km), reaching the typhoon stage, is characterized by two local maxima. The distribution density of lightning discharges in the range of tropical cyclones that have reached a strong tropical storm is characterized by one maximum. The lifetime of thunderstorm cells that stand out is 40-50 minutes in average. Before the typhoon stage, the area of thunderstorm cells increased, and then, the number of cells as well as the intensity of discharges in the cell increased, but their lifetime and area decreased.