Investigating Lightning Characteristics through a Supercell Storm by Comprehensive Coordinated Observations over North China

Abstract

Electrical characteristics of an isolated supercell storm observed on 13 June 2014 over Beijing were investigated using lightning data obtained from the Beijing Lightning Network, radar reflectivity, and hydrometeor retrievals during the 6-h lifetime. Positive cloud-to-ground (+CG) lightning took a high percentage of CG lightning. Before and during a hail event, +CG lightning was more frequent than negative cloud-to-ground (-CG) lightning, except that +CG lightning took a high percentage at the beginning and in the dissipating stage. After the hail event ended, -CG lightning dominated and reached its maximum value. An analysis of hydrometeors retrieved by X-band polarimetric radar revealed that the discharge concentrated in the convective region with graupel particles and hailstones, whereas graupel, snow and ice crystals in the stratiform region. Lightning radiation sources were located mainly in the convective region, some of which were distributed along a gradient of radar reflectivity from the convective region to the stratiform region. The indication is that the supercell demonstrated an inverted tripole charge structure before the hail event, which converted to a normal tripole structure after the hail event.