Observations of lightning in convective supercells within tropical storms and hurricanes

Lyons, W A; Keen, C S

doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1994)122<1897:OOLICS>2.0.CO;2

Title: Observations of lightning in convective supercells within tropical storms and hurricanes

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Abstract

Cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning observations from land-based lightning detection networks now allow monitoring this component of the electrical structure of tropical storms and hurricanes within a few hundred kilometers of the United States coastline. Several case studies confirm the long-held opinion that lightning is rather common within the outer rainbands. The general absence of CG lightning within the interior of mature tropical cyclones is also apparent. On the other hand, bursts of CG lightning near the circulation center of developing storms appear to precede periods of further deepening. The CG events are associated with convective supercells, whose anvil canopies can often obscure much of the underlying storm. Near-eyewall CG bursts preceding periods of intensification were noted in Hurricanes Diana (1984) and Florence (1988). A detailed case study of the 1987 unnamed tropical storm that struck the Texas-Louisiana coastline reveals that lightning was associated with two large supercells. These supercells appeared to be the trigger for the development of a closed circulation that formed several hours after the apparent low pressure center made landfall. Further studies of lightning may provide additional insight into the role of convective supercells in tropical storm intensification. It may also provide a useful diagnostic of impending deepening.

Authors:

Lyons, W A; Keen, C S ^[1]

Mission Research Corp., Fort Collins, CO (United States)

Publication Date:: Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994

Research Org.:: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Huntsville, AL (United States). George C. Marshall Space Flight Center

OSTI Identifier:: 53395

Resource Type:: Journal Article

Journal Name:: Monthly Weather Review

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 122; Journal Issue: 8; Other Information: PBD: Aug 1994

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; HURRICANES; REMOTE SENSING; LIGHTNING; SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION; GOES SATELLITES

Citation Formats


                    Lyons, W A, Keen, C S, and Mankato State Univ., Mankato, MN. Observations of lightning in convective supercells within tropical storms and hurricanes.  United States: N. p., 1994. 
        Web.  doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1994)122<1897:OOLICS>2.0.CO;2.

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                    Lyons, W A, Keen, C S, & Mankato State Univ., Mankato, MN. Observations of lightning in convective supercells within tropical storms and hurricanes.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(1994)122<1897:OOLICS>2.0.CO;2

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                    Lyons, W A, Keen, C S, and Mankato State Univ., Mankato, MN. 1994.  
        "Observations of lightning in convective supercells within tropical storms and hurricanes".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(1994)122<1897:OOLICS>2.0.CO;2.

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@article{osti_53395,

  title        = {Observations of lightning in convective supercells within tropical storms and hurricanes},

  author       = {Lyons, W A and Keen, C S and Mankato State Univ., Mankato, MN},

  abstractNote = {Cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning observations from land-based lightning detection networks now allow monitoring this component of the electrical structure of tropical storms and hurricanes within a few hundred kilometers of the United States coastline. Several case studies confirm the long-held opinion that lightning is rather common within the outer rainbands. The general absence of CG lightning within the interior of mature tropical cyclones is also apparent. On the other hand, bursts of CG lightning near the circulation center of developing storms appear to precede periods of further deepening. The CG events are associated with convective supercells, whose anvil canopies can often obscure much of the underlying storm. Near-eyewall CG bursts preceding periods of intensification were noted in Hurricanes Diana (1984) and Florence (1988). A detailed case study of the 1987 unnamed tropical storm that struck the Texas-Louisiana coastline reveals that lightning was associated with two large supercells. These supercells appeared to be the trigger for the development of a closed circulation that formed several hours after the apparent low pressure center made landfall. Further studies of lightning may provide additional insight into the role of convective supercells in tropical storm intensification. It may also provide a useful diagnostic of impending deepening.},

  doi          = {10.1175/1520-0493(1994)122<1897:OOLICS>2.0.CO;2},

  url          = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/53395},
  journal      = {Monthly Weather Review},
number       = 8,

  volume       = 122,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994},

  month        = {Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994}

}

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https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(1994)122<1897:OOLICS>2.0.CO;2

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