Relationship Between Lightning and Precipitation Based on Classification of Atmospheric Stratification and Development of Thunderstorm

A total of 28 thunderstorms occurring in and around Beijing area from 2006 to 2008 are picked to investigate the relationship between total lightning (observed by SAFIR3000) and convective precipitation (by radar inversion). These cases are classified according to parameters of the atmospheric stratification where they are generated and the reflectivity of radar. The quantitative results can provide a reference for the applications of lightning data on severe weather warning and precipitation estimation. The lightning forecast can also be improved by assimilating the relationship between the hydrometeors and the lightning activities to the numerical prediction models. The analysis can extend the application field of the lightning data.The results show that the average convective rain yields per flash is 1.92×10⁷ kg·fl^-1 on the whole, while the linear correlation coefficient between the total lightning frequency and convective precipitation is 0.584. Total lightning frequency (expressed by F with the time space being 6 min) can be used to calculate the amount of convective precipitation with the equation R=(2.813×10⁸)+(4.570×10⁶)F. A total of 28 thunderstorms are classified according to the convective available potential energy (E_CAP) and lifting index I_L of the atmospheric stratification where they are generated. It is explored that strong instability of atmospheric stratification tends to be associated with smaller precipitation and more pronounced correlation between total lightning and precipitation. Of which, the classification of E_CAP no less than 1600 J·kg^-1 has the correlation coefficient of 0.837, the total lightning frequency can be used to calculate the amount of convective precipitation with the equation of R=(1.620×10⁸)+(5.478×10⁶)F. While the classification of I_L no less than 4 K has the correlation coefficient of 0.853, the total lightning frequency can be used to calculate the area of the amount of convective precipitation with the equation of R=(1.530×10⁸)+(6.276×10⁶)F. Another three parameters calculated from radar reflectivity, i.e., maximum height of 20 dBZ reflectivity, maximum reflectivity at 12 km level, and volume ratio of the reflectivity larger than 30 dBZ above 0℃ to the reflectivity larger than 40 dBZ above 0℃, in terms of their radar volume scans. The most pronounced relationships between lightning and precipitation occur in the classification of H_{20 dBZ} < 11.5 km, 25 dBZ ≤f_{12 km} < 35 dBZ, and V_40/30 < 0.39, when the correlation coefficients are 0.804, 0.609 and 0.750, respectively. The linear correlation between lightning and precipitation show obvious differences in different classifications. The fitting equations in different classifications are revealed, which will provide references for the application of relationships between lightning and precipitation according to the characteristics of thunderstorm processes.