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The Effect of Divergence on Cloud-to-Ground Lightning in Cape Canaveral, Florida

The Effect of Divergence on Cloud-to-Ground Lightning in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Stephanie James Department of Marine and Environmental Systems Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne, FL 32901. Overview. What is divergence? Why does it matter?

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The Effect of Divergence on Cloud-to-Ground Lightning in Cape Canaveral, Florida

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  1. The Effect of Divergence on Cloud-to-Ground Lightning in Cape Canaveral, Florida Stephanie James Department of Marine and Environmental Systems Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne, FL 32901

  2. Overview • What is divergence? • Why does it matter? • Florida is the lightning capital of the United States • Does surface divergence play a role in the amount of lightning? + + + + + + - - - - - - Downdraft Updraft Divergence Convergence

  3. Overview • A relation between surface divergence and total strikes? • 20 cases of thunderstorms in the Cape Canaveral region between May 23, 2008 and June 30, 2008

  4. Different Charges over Florida Positive Strikes Negative Strikes

  5. Methods • Distinguished days with storms and recorded lat/lon • Looked at daily, hourly, and five minute lightning for the area • Compared lightning to thunderstorm based on NEXRAD radar imagery • Counted the amount of lightning as well as the location of the first strike in each storm in the region • Determined the value of minimum, maximum, and average divergence for each case

  6. Minimum, Maximum, and Mean Divergence June 28, 2008

  7. June 23, 2008 Case Study

  8. June 23, 2008 Case Study High values of Divergence High values of Convergence

  9. Results for All Cases

  10. Conclusions • Higher minimum convergence usually means more lightning strikes • Maximum divergence vs. total strikes showed the least amount of relation • The first strike tends to initiate near zero divergence

  11. References • Ahrens, C.D., 2003. Meteorology Today: An Introduction to Weather, Climate, and the Environment. (7th Edition) • Camp, J.P., A.I. Watson, and H.E. Fuelberg, 1998: The Diurnal Distribution of Lightning over North Florida and Its Relation to the Prevailing Low-Level Flow. Wea. Forecasting, 13, 729–739. • Hodanish, S., D. Sharp, W. Collins, C. Paxton, and R.E. Orville, 1997: A 10-yr Monthly Lightning Climatology of Florida: 1986–95. Wea. Forecasting, 12, 439–448. • Paluch, I.R., and J.D. Sartor, 1973: Thunderstorm Electrification by the Inductive Charging Mechanism:II. Possible Effects of Updraft on the Charge Separation Process. J. Atmos. Sci., 30, 1174–1177.

  12. Questions?

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