Cloud-to-Ground Lightning Features of Tornadic Storms Occurred in Kanto, Japan, on May 6, 2012

Fumiaki Kobayashi; Mika Yamaji

doi:10.20965/jdr.2013.p1071

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JDR Vol.8 No.6 pp. 1071-1077

(2013)

doi: 10.20965/jdr.2013.p1071

Paper:

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Cloud-to-Ground Lightning Features of Tornadic Storms Occurred in Kanto, Japan, on May 6, 2012

Fumiaki Kobayashi and Mika Yamaji

Department of Geoscience, National Defense Academy, 1-10-20 Hashirimizu, Yokosuka, Kanagawa 239-8686, Japan

Received:

June 30, 2013

Accepted:

November 18, 2013

Published:

December 1, 2013

Keywords:

tornado, supercell, radar echo cell, CG lightning, Doppler radar

Abstract

The features of parent clouds of tornadoes generated in north Kanto, the middle of Honshu, on May 6, 2012 are discussed from the viewpoint of CG lightning. Cumulonimbus clouds (radar echo cells) that caused tornadoes had a peak lightning frequency of 20 strikes/min before the tornado generation. The number of lightning strikes decreased and positive lightning increased during the tornado generation. Cells that generated tornadoes were frequent lightning cells among echo cells generated around Kanto on that day, and long-landing and high-frequency lightning cells included mesocyclones in the clouds. The features of cumulonimbus with the potential to generate tornadoes are clarified.

Cite this article as:

F. Kobayashi and M. Yamaji, “Cloud-to-Ground Lightning Features of Tornadic Storms Occurred in Kanto, Japan, on May 6, 2012,” J. Disaster Res., Vol.8 No.6, pp. 1071-1077, 2013.

Data files:

References

[1] J. Maeda, “Investigation of mechanism and damage of gust occurred in northern Kanto region on May 6, 2012,” Report on Grant-in-Aid for Special Purposes (KAKENHI), 340pp., 2013 (in Japanese).
[2] D. R. MacGoman andW. D. Rust, “The electrical nature of storms,” 422pp., 1998.
[3] F. Kobayashi and Y. Sugawara, “Cloud-to-ground lightning characteristics of the tornadic storm over Hokkaido on November 7, 2006,” J. Atmos. Electricity, Vol.29, pp. 1-12, 2009.
[4] T. Kato, H. Tsuguchi, and W. Mashiko, “Environmental conditions of the tornado generation, comparison of the Saroma tornado and results of 250 m/50 m numerical simulation,” Tenki, Vol.60, p. 51, 2013 (in Japanese).
[5] H. B. Bluestein and M. H. Jain, “Formation of mesoscale lines of precipitation – Severe squall lines in Oklahoma during the spring,” J. Atmos. Sco., Vol.42, pp. 1711-1731, 1985.
[6] Meteorological Group of Grant-in-Aid for Special Purposes (KAKENHI), “Meteorological Situation near the Time of the Tornadogenesis and Characteristics of Tornadoes and their Parent Storms,” Wind Engineers, Vol.38, pp. 5-16, 2013 (in Japanese).
[7] H. Yamauchi, Y. Shoji, A. Adachi, and E. Sato, “Tornado vortex observed by the polarimetric Doppler radar,” Tenki, Vol.60, pp. 49-50, 2013 (in Japanese).
[8] W. Mashiko, “Numerical simulation on Tsukuba tornado on 6 May 2012,” Proceedings of fall meeting, Meteorological Society of Japan, p. 46, 2012 (in Japanese).
[9] F. Kobayashi, Y. Sugawara, M. Imai, M. Matsui, A. Yoshida, and Y. Tamura, “Tornado generation in a narrow cold frontal rainband – Fujisawa tornado on April 20, 2006 –,” SOLA, Vol.3, pp. 21-24, 2007.

This article is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationa License.

[1] [1] J. Maeda, “Investigation of mechanism and damage of gust occurred in northern Kanto region on May 6, 2012,” Report on Grant-in-Aid for Special Purposes (KAKENHI), 340pp., 2013 (in Japanese).

[2] [2] D. R. MacGoman andW. D. Rust, “The electrical nature of storms,” 422pp., 1998.

[3] [3] F. Kobayashi and Y. Sugawara, “Cloud-to-ground lightning characteristics of the tornadic storm over Hokkaido on November 7, 2006,” J. Atmos. Electricity, Vol.29, pp. 1-12, 2009.

[4] [4] T. Kato, H. Tsuguchi, and W. Mashiko, “Environmental conditions of the tornado generation, comparison of the Saroma tornado and results of 250 m/50 m numerical simulation,” Tenki, Vol.60, p. 51, 2013 (in Japanese).

[5] [5] H. B. Bluestein and M. H. Jain, “Formation of mesoscale lines of precipitation – Severe squall lines in Oklahoma during the spring,” J. Atmos. Sco., Vol.42, pp. 1711-1731, 1985.

[6] [6] Meteorological Group of Grant-in-Aid for Special Purposes (KAKENHI), “Meteorological Situation near the Time of the Tornadogenesis and Characteristics of Tornadoes and their Parent Storms,” Wind Engineers, Vol.38, pp. 5-16, 2013 (in Japanese).

[7] [7] H. Yamauchi, Y. Shoji, A. Adachi, and E. Sato, “Tornado vortex observed by the polarimetric Doppler radar,” Tenki, Vol.60, pp. 49-50, 2013 (in Japanese).

[8] [8] W. Mashiko, “Numerical simulation on Tsukuba tornado on 6 May 2012,” Proceedings of fall meeting, Meteorological Society of Japan, p. 46, 2012 (in Japanese).

[9] [9] F. Kobayashi, Y. Sugawara, M. Imai, M. Matsui, A. Yoshida, and Y. Tamura, “Tornado generation in a narrow cold frontal rainband – Fujisawa tornado on April 20, 2006 –,” SOLA, Vol.3, pp. 21-24, 2007.