OBSERVATIONS OF RAIN AND HAIL GUSHES AFTER LIGHTNING,
Abstract
Observations of thunderstorms in New Mexico were made with a vertically-scanning, 3 cm radar on a mountain-top. Prior to a lightning stroke the radar echo was usually quite weak indicating precipitation echoes of 5 mm/hr or less. Following the lightning stroke it was observed that in the region of the cloud where the stroke took place the radar echo intensity rapidly increased and a gush of rain or hail fell nearby. In some cases after the lightning stroke there were regions in the cloud where the low radar reflectivity decreased instead of increased. These measurements confirm earlier radar observations, made by the authors at Grand Bahama Island B.W.I., which showed that lightning strokes are often followed by the detection of a rapidly-intensifying echo and then by a gush of rain at the ground. The increases and decreases in radar reflectivity in small volumes of the cloud following lightning suggest that the electric discharge is influencing the nature of particles in the cloud. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 22, 1963
- Accession Number
- AD0713255
Entities
People
- B. Vonnegut
- C. B. Moore
- D. A. Mccaig
- E. A. Vrablik
Organizations
- Arthur D. Little