Little work has been done on the climatological characteristics of cloud-to-ground lightning (CG lightning) activity in China.Based on the observation data from National Lightning Detection Network of China (from March to September of 2009-2013),the spatial and temporal distributions are investigated of different grades of CG lightning density and intensity over central and eastern China (C-E China).The spatial distribution of total CG lightning over C-E China is similar to that of annual mean thunderstorm days and lightning density observed from satellites,though with differences among them.For the spatial distribution,total CG density over C-E China appears to have three high density areas.Both the monthly and pentad variations of total CG lightning density have a single peak.The peak of total CG lightning appears at 16:00-17:00 (Beijing Time),while the peak of positive CG lightning lags about 1 hour behind the total CG lightning.Daily total CG lightning density in C-E China reaches an extreme level of 99％ at the value of 1.2 fl/(d × km2),0.8 fl/(h × km2) for hourly total CG lightning density and 135.8 kA for total CG lightning intensity.Spatial distribution of high total CG lightning intensity (higher than the 4th grade,＞ 39.1 kA),which mostly occurs in the Pearl River Delta region,differs much from high positive CG lightning intensity (higher than the 4th grade,＞60.6 kA),which appears to be higher in the eastern Sichuan province.The grades of daily CG lightning density and intensity show some differences among different regions.The thresholds of different grades of daily total CG lightning density over the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River are the highest among the five areas;the thresholds of total different grades of CG lightning intensity over Southwest China are higher than those over the other four areas.These results could help us better understand the climatological characteristics of CG lightning in China.
climatologycloud-to-ground lightningstatistical analysisspatial and temporal characteristicsgrades of CG lightning
国家科技期刊平台
NSTL
万方数据
维普
