edu.ucar.opensky::articles:21425 UCAR/NCAR - Library OpenSky Support PO Box 3000 Boulder CO 80307-3000 opensky@ucar.edu http://opensky.ucar.edu/ homepage pointOfContact 2025-12-25T16:10:25.193197 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata - Part 2: Extensions for Imagery and Gridded Data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d7s75k0m Improving lightning and precipitation prediction of severe convection using lightning data assimilation with NCAR WRF-RTFDDA 2017-11-27T00:00:00Z publication https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d7s75k0m https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JD027340 Wang, Haoliang author Liu, Yubao author Cheng, William Y. Y. author Zhao, T. author Xu, Mei author Liu, Yuewei author Shen, Si author Calhoun, K. M. author Fierro, A. O. author UCAR/NCAR - Library publisher In this study, a lightning data assimilation (LDA) scheme was developed and implemented in the National Center for Atmospheric Research Weather Research and Forecasting-Real-Time Four-Dimensional Data Assimilation system. In this LDA method, graupel mixing ratio (q(g)) is retrieved from observed total lightning. To retrieve q(g) on model grid boxes, column-integrated graupel mass is first calculated using an observation-based linear formula between graupel mass and total lightning rate. Then the graupel mass is distributed vertically according to the empirical q(g) vertical profiles constructed from model simulations. Finally, a horizontal spread method is utilized to consider the existence of graupel in the adjacent regions of the lightning initiation locations. Based on the retrieved q(g) fields, latent heat is adjusted to account for the latent heat releases associated with the formation of the retrieved graupel and to promote convection at the observed lightning locations, which is conceptually similar to the method developed by Fierro et al. Three severe convection cases were studied to evaluate the LDA scheme for short-term (0-6h) lightning and precipitation forecasts. The simulation results demonstrated that the LDA was effective in improving the short-term lightning and precipitation forecasts by improving the model simulation of the q(g) fields, updrafts, cold pool, and front locations. The improvements were most notable in the first 2h, indicating a highly desired benefit of the LDA in lightning and convective precipitation nowcasting (0-2h) applications. UCAR/NCAR - Library OpenSky Support PO Box 3000 Boulder CO 80307-3000 opensky@ucar.edu http://opensky.ucar.edu/ homepage pointOfContact PDF Text theme Resource Type 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z publication Copyright 2017 American Geophysical Union. None eng geoscientificInformation