What question did this study set out to answer?

To document and characterize the physical, spatial, and temporal properties of cloud-to-ground lightning across the continental United States over a 10-year period.

May 1, 2001Monthly Weather Review

Cloud-to-Ground Lightning in the United States: NLDN Results in the First Decade, 1989–98

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

RORichard E. OrvilleTexas A&M University GHGary R. HuffinesNevada National Security Site

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Observational analysis reveals distinct spatial and temporal patterns across 216 million lightning flashes, highlighting regional density peaks and evolving sensor measurement trends.

Key Points

To document and characterize the physical, spatial, and temporal properties of cloud-to-ground lightning across the continental United States over a 10-year period.
Analyzed over 216 million cloud-to-ground lightning flashes recorded by the National Lightning Detection Network from 1989 through 1998 across the continental United States.
Computed flash density, positive flash density, positive flash percentage, peak currents, multiplicity, and diurnal cycles at a 0.2° spatial resolution (~20 km) without detection efficiency corrections.
Maximum uncorrected flash density exceeded 9 flashes km⁻² in Florida corridors, with nationwide flash counts peaking in July at approximately 5.5 million flashes.
Annual positive flash percentages increased from 3% in 1989 to approximately 9% in 1998, while median peak currents declined from 30 kA to ~20 kA for negative flashes and from 55 kA to ~22 kA for positive flashes.
Diurnal land flash rates peaked between 1200 and 2000 local time across most regions, whereas the upper Midwest peaked between 2000 and 0400 local time and surrounding oceanic waters peaked between 0400 and 1200 local time.

Cite This Study

Orville et al. (2001) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a6fcb4d31a3df8243281d61 https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(2001)129<1179:ctglit>2.0.co;2

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Implication

Observational analysis reveals distinct spatial and temporal patterns across 216 million lightning flashes, highlighting regional density peaks and evolving sensor measurement trends.

Cloud-to-Ground Lightning in the United States: NLDN Results in the First Decade, 1989–98

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Cloud-to-Ground Lightning in the United States: NLDN Results in the First Decade, 1989–98

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Also Consider

Also Consider