Relationships between cloud-to-ground flashes and hydrometeors in a thunderstorm in Fujian province

Abstract

A local severe thunderstorm, occurring near the coastal region in Fujian province, China, was chosen to study the relationships between hydrometeors and cloud-to-ground (CG) flash activities. This thunderstorm case study was carried out by using vehicle-mounted X-band dual-polarization radar on August 28, 2009. On the basis of polarimetric parameters, the hydrometeors were identified by fuzzy logic hydrometeor classification (FLHC). The results show that the thunderstorm grew into a squall line with a maximum flash rate of 85fl/5min in mature stage. Negative CG constituted approximately 97.3% of total CG flashes. More than 90% of the CG flashes occurred in the convective regions, and less than 10% occurred in the stratiform region. The strong echo volume in convective region had a positive linear correlation with the CG flashes rate. Seven types of hydrometeors, namely, rain (RN), aggregates (AG), low-density graupel (LDG), high-density graupel (HDG), vertically aligned ice crystals (VI), drizzle-light rain (DR), and ice crystals (IC), have been classified; the first five of the hydrometeors are predominant in the thunderstorm. RN is located mainly in regions warmer than 0°C; the HDG is located in the middle and lower regions colder than 0°C; and LDG and VI mainly appear in the upper portion of the thunderstorm. The ice hydrometeors seemly had a close relation with CG flashes because the total CG flash rates had a strong positive correlation with the grid number of AG, LDG, HDG, and VI in the convective region. However, the sufficient ice hydrometeors did not produce frequent CG flashes in the stratiform region. It suggests that the dynamic structure is also very important for triggering lightning flashes.