Charge structure analysis of a severe hailstorm with predominantly positive cloud-to-ground lightning

Abstract

The present study makes use of cloud-to-ground lightning, three-dimensional mapping from a Lightning Mapping Array and Doppler C-band radar observations to analyze the lightning trends and the underlying electrical charge structure of a large-hail bearing storm that produced important damages on the local agriculture. The analysis reported an extremely active storm, evolving through distinct phases, which stood out from a multicell structure to finally become a supercell. The onset of newer regions of convective development interacting with the main cell made the charge structure to be rather complex during some stages of this long-lived hailstorm. Evidence suggests the presence of regions with the charge layer being inverted from that of normal, non-severe convective storms, producing predominantly positive cloud-to-ground lightning. The analysis also suggests that strong cloud signals were misclassified as low peak current single-stroke negative cloud-to-ground flashes, masking the predominant positive nature of the storm.