Occurrence conditions of positive cloud-to-ground flashes in severe thunderstorms

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of this study was to understand the reasons why frequent positive cloud-to-ground (+CG) flashes occur in severe thunderstorms. A three-dimensional dynamics-electrification coupled model was used to simulate a severe thunderstorm to permit analysis of the conditions that might easily cause +CG flashes. The results showed that strong updrafts play an important role in the occurrence of intracloud flashes. However, frequent +CG flashes require not only strong updrafts but also strong downdrafts in the lower cloud region, conditions that correspond to the later phase of the mature stage and the period of the heaviest solid precipitation of a thunderstorm. During this stage, strong updrafts elevated each charge area in the updraft region to a higher level, which resulted in an inverted tripole charge structure. A wide mid-level region of strong positive charge caused largely by positively charged graupel, presented in the middle of the updraft region because of a non-inductive ice-ice collisional charging mechanism. The charge structure in the downdraft region was consistently more complex and revealed several vertically stacked charge regions, alternating in polarity. Much of the graupel/hail outside the updrafts was lowered to cloud-base by strong downdrafts. In this area, the graupel/hail was charged negatively because of the transportation of negatively charged graupel/hail from higher regions of negative charge in the updrafts, and via the inductive charging mechanism of collisions between graupel/hail and cloud droplets at the bottom of the cloud. Consequently, a large region of negative charge formed near the ground. This meant that +CG flashes were initiated more easily in the lower inverted dipole, i.e., the middle region of positive charge and lower region of negative charge. Frequent +CG flashes began almost synchronously with dramatic increases in the storm updrafts, hail volume, and total flash rate. Therefore, the occurrence of +CG flashes appears a good indicator of storm intensification and it could have some use as a predictor of severe weather in the form of hail.