Cloud-to-ground lightning activity in a hailstorm over the central Lower Latitude Plateau of China

A thunderstorm that developed over the central Lower Latitude Plateau of China on 16 July 2006 is analyzed in detail using the data from a CG lightning location network and Doppler radar. This severe thunderstorm produced hailstones as large as 15 mm and had a lifetime of 3 h and 20 min. The thunderstorm exhibited strong vertical development with cloud top reaching 15.9km. The CG parameters considered are the flash rate, the flash polarity, the multiplicity, and the peak current. The thunderstorm produced especially low positive CG proportions associated with negative CGs with high values of peak current and multiplicity. This second part is mostly centered on the detailed analysis of the CG lightning behavior, its relationship with radar-derived storm parameters, and CG lightning correlation with hazardous weather. The analysis of the storm cells life cycle has showed similar trends between the CG lighting flash rates and radar-derived parameters like the area of reflectivity above 30 dBZ at the -10°C isotherm height. There is a distinct increase in CG flash rate during the rapid development stage of hailstorms. The CG lightning “jump” pattern seems more robust to forecast in a short-term basis the possible occurrence of severe weather.