HR: 1330h
AN: AE32A-0159    [PDF]
TI: The Appalachian Lightning Jump
AU: * Huffines, G R
EM: gary.huffines@unco.edu
AF: University of Northern Colorado, Department of Earth Sciences Ross Hall Campus Box 100 University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO 80634 United States
AU: Orville, R E
AF: Texas A&M University, CIAMS Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3150 United States
AB: Cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flash densities have been consistently lower over the Appalachian Mountains than in surrounding regions, as recorded by the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN). The decreased lightning activity might be expected as the mountain range can reduce the amount of low level convergence in storms moving through that area. One feature that has not been documented is when CG lightning activity stops completely when a storm system reaches the Appalachians from the west and northwest and begins again as the storm moves beyond the mountains to the east. The occurrences of this lightning jump over the Appalachian Mountains are presented along with some characteristics of the storms exhibiting this behavior.
DE: 3304 Atmospheric electricity
DE: 3314 Convective processes
DE: 3324 Lightning
DE: 3329 Mesoscale meteorology
SC: Atmospheric and Space Electricity [AE]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting