Statistical Characteristics of Lightning Activities Over Bangladesh Detected by World Wide Lightning Location Network

This study is conducted to statistically characterize the lightning activity over Bangladesh based on a four-year data set (2020–2023) of the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN). A total of 2065112 strokes were identified over the study period. Based on that the existing stroke detection map was extended for the study duration. The annual and seasonal stroke density has been evaluated and the spatial and temporal analysis is conducted in this study. The highest value of annual and seasonal stroke density is found to be 7310 and 5000 strokes in <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">0.5∘× 0.5∘</tex> grid per year respectively, where lightning hotspots were primarily located in the north and north-east (NE) region of Bangladesh (Sylhet). The monthly stroke count shows the highest value of 32000 strokes in June. The diurnal cycle shows maximum activity around 20:00 Local Time (LT) and minimum activity between 00:00 and 05:00 LT. Season-wise, monsoon (June to September) dominates the occurrence of lightning. Notably, this study highlights a latitudinal variation in stroke density and the findings reveal a correlation between increasing latitude and higher SD. The overall study may provide valuable input in planning effective strategies to combat lightning-related hazards in Bangladesh.