Relationships among Lightning, Precipitation, and Hydrometeor Characteristics over the North Pacific Ocean*

Abstract

Lightning data from the Pacific Lightning Detection Network (PacNet) and Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) on the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite were compared with TRMM precipitation radar products and latent heating and hydrometeor data. Three years of data over the central North Pacific Ocean were analyzed. The data were divided into winter (October-April) and summer (June-September) seasons. During the winter, the thunderstorms were typically embedded in cold fronts associated with eastward-propagating extratropical cyclones. Summer thunderstorms were triggered by cold upper-level lows associated with the tropical upper-tropospheric trough (TUTT). Concurrent lightning and satellite data associated with the storms were averaged over 0.58 3 0.58 grid cells and a detection efficiency correction model was applied to quantify the lightning rates. The results of the data analysis show a consistent logarithmic increase in convective rainfall rate with increasing lightning rates. Moreover, other storm characteristics such as radar reflectivity, storm height, ice water path, and latent heat show a similar logarithmic increase. Specifically, the reflectivity in the mixed-phase region increased significantly with lightning rate and the lapse rate of Z decreased; both of these features are well-known indicators of the robustness of the cloud electrification process. In addition, the height of the echo tops showed a strong logarithmic correlation with lightning rate. These results have application over data-sparse ocean regions by allowing lightning-rate data to be used as a proxy for related storm properties, which can be assimilated into NWP models.

Climatology of lightning activity in Australia: spatial and seasonal variability

“…There are no previously published results examining the potential relationship between extratropical cyclone occurrence and lightning activity in the Australian region, with very few results presented for other regions of the world (e.g. Market et al 2006, Pessi andBusinger 2009).…”

Refining the relationship between lightning and convective rainfall over the ocean

“…In the latter case, a domain average profile would likely exhibit considerably lower mixed phase reflectivity. The average height of the near-surface reflectivity bin (i.e., the lowest bin that is free The results of Pessi and Businger [2009a] are included for comparison. Figure 10.…”

Using a cloud electrification model to study relationships between lightning activity and cloud microphysical structure

“…Their analysis showed that the temporal distribution of lightning is not well correlated with convective rainfall, while it is well correlated with the simulated concentrations of solid hydrometeors, particularly during the development stage of the storms. Pessi and Businger (2009) explored the relationship between lightning measured from LIS and from a ground network of detectors installed on islands of the North Pacific, and the precipitation and hydrometeor profiles obtained from the TRMM PR. They found a logarithmic increase of flash rates with increase of convective rainfall, as well as of other storm characteristics such as precipitable ice path, radar reflectivity, and storm height, for winter and summer storms in the northern Pacific Ocean.…”