Analysis of Thunderstorm Activity in Iraq and Turkey

Abstract

Relevance of the work. The article deals with the analysis of thunderstorm activity in Iraq and Turkey. A comparison of thunderstorm activity in the areas of location of 5 weather stations located in different areas on the territory of the two states was carried out. Analysis of the accumulated data showed that the frequency of thunderstorms over different regions of the world largely depends on their geographical location (topography), distance from the sea and time of year. The purpose of the work. The aim was to identify the features of the spatial distribution of trends in interannual variability and to determine the best recorded months of thunderstorm activity during the year over the territory of Iraq and Turkey. Methods of work. The study was conducted based on the analysis of daily (archived) meteorological data on thunderstorms over 10 years at five meteorological stations. Results. Based on historical data of daily meteorological observations made over a ten-year period at three meteorological stations in various climate zones in Iraq and at two meteorological stations in various climate zones in Turkey, this study analyzes thunderstorm activity. According to the data, March and April have the highest frequency of thunderstorms, with 55% of them occurring in Iraq’s northern highland region. However, the study found that in Turkey, April and May had the highest frequency of thunderstorms, with 54% of them occurring in Anatolia’s southeast because of its elevation above sea level. Conclusions. In the northern and northeastern regions of Iraq and the southeastern region of Turkey, intense thunderstorm activity was observed. March and April saw the highest annual frequency of thunderstorms.