Is the Awareness of the Aerosol State Useful in Predicting Enhanced Lightning for Lightning-Producing Storms over Northern Alabama?

• Published in: Journal of applied meteorology and climatology 2018-08, Vol.57 (8), p.1663-1681
• Main Authors: Ren, Tong, Rapp, Anita D., Nasiri, Shaima L., Mecikalski, John R., Apke, Jason
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerosol effects; Aerosol optical depth; Aerosols; Atmospheric sciences; Boundary layers; Convection; Convective available potential energy; Convective storms; Correlation; Electrification; Imaging techniques; Inference; Lightning; Lightning flashes; Meteorological conditions; MODIS; Optical analysis; Polar orbiting satellites; Pollutants; Potential energy; Precipitation; Probability theory; Remote sensing; Satellites; Spaceborne remote sensing; Spectroradiometers; Storm forecasting; Storms; Studies; Thunderstorms; Vertical wind shear; Weather forecasting; Wind shear; Winds
• ISSN: 1558-8424; 1558-8432
• DOI: 10.1175/JAMC-D-17-0182.1

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrievals from the Terra and Aqua satellites currently provide the largest satellite aerosol dataset for investigating relationships to meteorological phenomena, such as aerosol impact on electrification in deep convection. The usefulness of polar-orbiting satellite aerosol retrievals in lightning inference is examined by correlating MODIS AOD retrievals with lightning observations of the thunderstorms in the summers during 2002–14 over northern Alabama. Lightning flashes during the 1400–1700 local standard time peak period show weak but positive correlations with the MODIS AOD retrievals 2–4 h earlier. The correlation becomes stronger in particular meteorological conditions, including weak vertical wind shear and prevailing northerly winds over northern Alabama. Results show that the MODIS AOD retrievals are less useful in predicting enhanced lightning flash rate for lightning-producing storms than the forecasts of other meteorological variables that are more closely linked to the intensification of convective storms. However, when relatively weaker convective available potential energy (CAPE) is forecast, the probability of enhanced lightning flash rate increases in a more polluted environment, making the knowledge of aerosols more useful in lightning inference in such CAPE regimes. The aerosol enhancement of lightning, if present, may be associated with enhanced convergence in the boundary layer and secondary convection.