Evolution of eyewall convective events as indicated by intracloud and cloud-to-ground lightning activity during the rapid intensification of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina

Monthly Weather Review

Volumn 139, Issue 5, 2011, Pages 1492-1504

  Fierro, Alexandre O ^a   Shao, Xuan Min ^a   Hamlin, Timothy ^a   Reisner, Jon M ^a   Harlin, Jeremiah ^a  

^a LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY   (United States)

Author keywords

Convection; Hurricanes; Lightning

Indexed keywords

CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING; CONVECTIVE EVENTS; ELECTRICAL ACTIVITIES; EXTERNAL FORCING; EYEWALL; HURRICANE INTENSITY; INTRACLOUD; KATRINA; NARROW BIPOLAR EVENTS; NUMERICAL MODELS; RAPID INTENSIFICATION; STRUCTURAL ASPECTS;

HURRICANES; ROTATION;

LIGHTNING;

ATMOSPHERIC CONVECTION; CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING; CYCLONE; HURRICANE KATRINA 2005; HURRICANE RITA 2005; NUMERICAL MODEL; WEATHER FORECASTING;

EID: 79954996774     PISSN: 00270644     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1175/2010MWR3532.1     Document Type: Article

References (57)

1. Black, R. A., and J. Hallett, 1999: Electrification of the hurricane. J. Atmos. Sci., 56, 2004-2028.
2. Carey, L. D., and S. A. Rutledge, 1998: Electrical and multiparameter radar observations of a severe hailstorm. J. Geophys. Res., 103 (D12), 13 979-14 000.
3. Corbosiero, K. L., and J. Molinari, 2002: The effects of vertical wind shear on the distribution of convection in tropical cyclones. Mon. Wea. Rev., 130, 2110-2123.
4. DeMaria, M., and R. T. DeMaria, 2009: Applications of lightning observations to tropical cyclone intensity forecasting. Preprints, 16th Conf. on Satellite Meteorology and Oceanography, Phoenix, AZ, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 1.3. [Available online at http://ams.confex.com/ams/89annual/techprogram/paper_145745.htm.]
5. Eack, K. B., 2004: Electrical characteristics of narrow bipolar events. Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L20102, doi:10.1029/2004GL021117.
6. Fierro, A. O., and J. M. Reisner, 2011: High-resolution simulation of the electrification and lightning of Hurricane Rita during the period of rapid intensification. J. Atmos. Sci., 68, 477-494.
7. Fierro, A. O., L. M. Leslie, E. R. Mansell, J. M. Straka, D.R. MacGorman, and C. Ziegler, 2007: A high resolution simulation of the microphysics and electrification in an idealized hurricane-like vortex. Meteor. Atmos. Phys., 98, 13-33, doi:10.1007/s00703-006-0237-0.
8. Guimond, S. R., G. M. Heymsfield, and F. J. Turk, 2010: Multiscale observations of Hurricane Dennis (2005): The effects of hot towers on rapid intensification. J. Atmos. Sci., 67, 633-654.
9. Hamlin, T., and J. Harlin, 2002: Tornado signatures and precursor activity from 3-D lightning mapping observations. Preprints, 21st Conf. on Severe Local Storms, San Antonio, TX, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 11A.5. [Available online at http://ams.confex.com/ams/SLS_WAF_NWP/techprogram/paper_47438.htm.]
10. Hamlin, T, T. E. Light, X. M. Shao, K. B. Eack, and J. D. Harlin, 2007: Estimating lightning channel characteristics of positive narrow bipolar events using intra-channel current reflection signatures. J. Geophys. Res., 112, D14108, doi:10.1029/2007JD008471.
11. Hendricks, E. A., M. T. Montgomery, and C. A. Davis, 2004: The role of "vortical" hot towers in the formation of Tropical Cyclone Diana (1984). J. Atmos. Sci., 61, 1209-1232.
12. Houze, R. A., 2010: Clouds in tropical cyclones. Mon. Wea. Rev., 138, 293-344.
13. Jacobson, A. R., and M. J. Heavner, 2005: Comparison of narrow bipolar events with ordinary lightning as proxies for severe convection. Mon. Wea. Rev., 133, 1144-1154.
14. Jacobson, A. R., R. Holzworth, J. Harlin, R. Dowden, and E. Lay, 2006: Performance assessment of the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) using the Los Alamos Sferic Array (LASA) as ground truth. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 23, 1082-1092.
15. Jorgensen, D. F., 1984: Mesoscale and convective-scale characteristics of mature hurricanes. Part I: General observations by research aircraft. J. Atmos. Sci., 41, 1268-1286.
16. Kaplan, J., and M. DeMaria, 2003: Large-scale characteristics of rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic basin. Wea. Forecasting, 18, 1093-1108.
17. Kaplan, J., M. DeMaria, and J. A. Knaff, 2010: A revised tropical cyclone rapid intensification index for the Atlantic and eastern North Pacific basins. Wea. Forecasting, 25, 220-241.
18. Kelley, O. A., J. Stout, and J. B. Halverson, 2004: Tall precipitation cells in tropical cyclone eyewalls are associated with tropical cyclone intensification. Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L24112, doi:10.1029/2004GL021616.
19. Knabb, R. D., D. P. Brown, and J. R. Rhome, 2005: Tropical cyclone report: Hurricane Rita, 18-26 September 2005. Tech. Rep., NOAA/National Hurricane Center, 33 pp. [Available online at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2005atlan.shtml.]
20. Landsea, C. W., 1993: A climatology of intense (or major) Atlantic hurricanes. Mon. Wea. Rev., 121, 1703-1713.
21. Landsea, C. W., and Coauthors, 2004: The Atlantic hurricane database re-analysis project: Documentation for the 1851-1910 alterations and additions to the HURDAT database. Hurricanes and Typhoons: Past, Present and Future, R. J. Murname and K.-B. Liu, Eds., Columbia University Press, 177-221.
22. Lay, E. H., A. R. Jacobson, R. H. Holzworth, C. J. Rodger, and R. L. Dowden, 2007: Local time variation in land/ocean lightning count rates as measured by the World Wide Lightning Location Network. J. Geophys. Res., 112, D13111, doi:10.1029/2006JD007944.
23. Le Vine, D. M., 1980: Source of the strongest RF radiation from lightning. J. Geophys. Res., 85, 4091-4095.
24. MacGorman, D. R., D. W. Burgess, V. Mazur, W. D. Rust, W. L. Taylor, and B. C. Johnson, 1989: Lightning rates relative to tornadic storm evolution on 22 May 1981. J. Atmos. Sci., 46, 221-251.
25. Marks, F., and L. K. Shay, 1998: Landfalling tropical cyclones: Forecast problems and associated research opportunities. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 79, 305-323.
26. Molinari, J., and D. Vollaro, 2008: Extreme helicity and intense convective towers in Hurricane Bonnie. Mon. Wea. Rev., 136, 4355-4372.
27. Molinari, J., and D. Vollaro, 2010: Rapid intensification of sheared tropical storm. Mon. Wea. Rev., 138, 3869-3885.
28. Molinari, J., P. K. Moore, V. P. Idone, R. W. Henderson, and A. B. Saljoughy, 1994: Cloud-to-ground lightning in Hurricane Andrew. J. Geophys. Res., 99, 16 665-16 676.
29. Molinari, J., P. K. Moore, and V. P. Idone, 1999: Convective structure of hurricanes as revealed by lightning locations. Mon. Wea. Rev., 127, 520-534.
30. Montgomery, M. T., M. E. Nicholls, T. A. Cram, and A. B. Saunders, 2006: A vortical hot tower route to tropical cyclogenesis. J. Atmos. Sci., 63, 355-386.
31. Neumann, C. J., 1994: An update to the National Hurricane Center "Track Book." Minutes of the 48th Interdepartmental Conference, NOAA/Office of Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research, Miami, FL, A-47-A-53.
32. Petersen, W. A., R. C. Cifelli, S. A. Rutledge, B. S. Ferrier, and B. F. Smull, 1999: Shipborne dual-Doppler operations and observations during TOGA COARE. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 80, 81-97.
33. Powell, M. D., 1990: Boundary layer structure and dynamics in outer hurricane rainbands. Part II: downdraft modification and mixed layer recovery. Mon. Wea. Rev., 118, 918-938.
34. Price, C., M. Asfur, and Y. Yair, 2009: Maximum hurricane intensity preceded by increase in lightning frequency. Nat. Geo-sci., 2, 329-332, doi:10.1038/NGEO477.
35. Reap, R. M., and D. R. MacGorman, 1989: Cloud-to-ground lightning: Climatological characteristics and relationships to model fields, radar observations, and severe local storms. Mon. Wea. Rev., 117, 518-535.
36. Reasor, P. D., M. D. Eastin, and J. F. Gamache, 2009: Rapidly intensifying Hurricane Guillermo (1997). Part I: Low-wavenumber structure and evolution. Mon. Wea. Rev., 137, 603-631.
37. Rison, W., R. J. Thomas, P. R. Krehbiel, T. Hamlin, and J. Harlin, 1999: A GPS-based three-dimensional lightning mapping system: Initial observations in central New Mexico. Geophys. Res. Lett., 26, 3573-3576.
38. Rodgers, E. B., W. S. Olson, V. M. Karyampudi, and H. F. Pierce, 1998: Satellite-derived latent heating distribution and environmental influences in Hurricane Opal (1995). Mon. Wea. Rev., 126, 1229-1247.
39. Rogers, R., S. Chen, J. Tenerelli, and H. Willoughby, 2003: A numerical studyof the impact of vertical shear on the distribution of rainfall in Hurricane Bonnie (1998). Mon. Wea. Rev., 131, 1577-1599.
40. Saunders, C. P. R., and S. L. Peck, 1998: Laboratory studies of the influence of the rime accretion rate on charge transfer during crystal/graupel collisions. J. Geophys. Res., 103 (D12), 13 949-13 956.
41. Shao, X. M., and A. R. Jacobson, 2009: Model simulation of very low-frequency and low-frequency lightning signal propagation over intermediate ranges. IEEE Trans. EMC, 51, 519-525.
42. Shao, X. M., and Coauthors, 2005: Katrina and Rita were lit up with lightning. Eos, Trans. Amer. Geophys. Union, 86, doi:10.1029/2005EO420004.
43. Shao, X. M., M. Stanley, A. Regan, J. Harlin, M. Pongratz, and M. Stock, 2006: Total lightning observations with the new and improved Los Alamos Sferic Array (LASA). J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 23, 1273-1288.
44. Simpson, J., J. B. Halverson, B. S. Ferrier, W. A. Petersen, R. H. Simpson, R. Blakeslee, and S. L. Durden, 1998: On the role of "hot towers" in tropical cyclone formation. Meteor. Atmos. Phys., 67, 15-35.
45. Smith, D. A., and Coauthors, 1999: A distinct class of isolated in-tracloud lightning discharges and their associated radio emissions. J. Geophys. Res., 104, 4189-4212.
46. Smith, D. A., M. J. Heavner, A. R. Jacobson, X. M. Shao, R. S. Massey, R. J. Sheldon, and K. C. Wiens, 2004: A method for determining intracloud lightning and ionospheric heights from VLF/LF electric field records. Radio Sci., 39, RS1010, doi:10.1029/2002RS002790.
47. Solorzano, N. N., J. N. Thomas, and R. H. Holzworth, 2008: Global studies of tropical cyclones using the World Wide Lightning Location Network. Preprints, Third Conf. on the Meteorological Applications of Lightning Data, New Orleans, LA, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 1.4. [Available online at http://wwlln.net/publications/Solorzano_AMS_29FEB2008.pdf.]
48. Squires, K., and S. Businger, 2008: The morphology of eyewall lightning outbreaks in two category 5 hurricanes. Mon. Wea. Rev., 136, 1706-1726.
49. Stern, D. P., and D. S. Nolan, 2009: Reexamining the vertical structure of tangential winds in tropical cyclones: Observations and theory. J. Atmos. Sci., 66, 3579-3600.
50. Takahashi, T., 1978: Riming electrification as a charge generation mechanism in thunderstorms. J. Atmos. Sci., 35, 1536-1548.
51. Thomas, J. N., N. Solorzano, S. A. Cummer, and R. H. Holzworth, 2010: Polarity and energetics of inner core lightning in three intense North Atlantic hurricanes. J. Geophys. Res., 115, A00E15, doi:10.1029/2009JA014777.
52. Uman, M. A., 1987: The Lightning Discharge. Academic Press, 377 pp.
53. Wang, Y., 2009: How do outer spiral rainbands affect tropical cyclone structure and intensity? J. Atmos. Sci., 66, 1250-1273.
54. Wiens, K. C., S. A. Rutledge, and S. A. Tessendorf, 2005: The 29 June 2000 supercell observed during STEPS. Part II: Lightning and charge structure. J. Atmos. Sci., 62, 4151-4177.
55. Willett, J. C., J. C. Bailey, and E. P. Krider, 1989: A class of unusual lightning electric field waveforms with very strong high-frequency radiation. J. Geophys. Res., 94, 16 255-16 267.
56. Williams, E. R., 1989: The tripole structure of thunderstorms. J. Geophys. Res., 94, 13 151-13 167.
57. Williams, E. R., 1995: Meteorological aspects of thunderstorms. Handbook of Atmospheric Electrodynamics, H. Volland, Ed., Vol. 1, CRC Press, 27-60.