Lightning analysis of a thunderstorm associated with lightning flashes in Malacca

Tan, Shea Ching (2021) Lightning analysis of a thunderstorm associated with lightning flashes in Malacca. Project Report. Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Melaka, Malaysia. (Submitted)

Text (Full Text) Lightning analysis of a thunderstorm associated with lightning flashes in Malacca.pdf - Submitted Version Download (5MB)

Abstract

Lightning occurs when there are electrical imbalances between storm clouds and the ground, or inside the clouds themselves. Majority of lightning strikes within clouds. Generally, in Malaysia, positive lightning is extremely rare, and vast majority of CG lightning events are negative. On Tuesday, August 11, 2020, a thunderstorm rolled into the historic city of Malacca, causing considerable damage and injuring a number of students. Since the incident is happened so suddenly, the lightning analysis of a thunderstorm on August 11 have not been fully studied and discovered. Therefore, this paper presents the lightning analysis of a thunderstorm associated with lightning flashes in Malacca on 11 August 2020. There are 4 types of data used in this analysis by using electric field mill (EFM), fast electromagnetic field (FA) system, weather radar and world wide lightning location network (WWLLN). There are 1024 flashes detected with highest occurrence of lightning flashes is intracloud, IC (436 flashes) on 11 August 2020 in Malacca. Based on the EFM data, there are 2 storms occurred during 04:00:00 to 14:00:00. For the first storm, the highest electric field change is 0.75kV/m. FA data showed a total of 33 lightning flashes had detected with the highest number occurrence of flashes is 21 positive narrow bipolar event, NBE. The flash rate for the first storm is 28 flashes per hour. The maximum rainfall rate and reflectivity that detected by weather radar during the first storm is 8mm/h and 37dBZ respectively. The rainfall is moved from Klebang to Ayer Keroh after that to Alor Gajah. In addition, the highest electric field change in second storm is 9.8kV/m and there is a total of 980 lightning flashes detected by FA system with the highest number occurrence of flashes is 429 IC. The flash rate for the second storm is 320 flashes per hour. The radar data showed the highest rainfall rate and radar reflectivity is 50mm/h and 50dBZ respectively which happened in second storm. In second storm, the weather radar detected the rainfall moved from Masjid Tanah to whole area of Malacca. There are 338 lightning strikes detected by WWLLN during second storm but there is no any lightning strike detected during first storm. Majority of lightning strikes detected during the peak hour 10:00:00 to 10:59:59.

Actions (login required)

View Item