Using Satellite Observations of Lightning and Precipitation to Diagnose
the Behavior of Deep Convection in Tropical Cyclones Traversing the
Midlatitudes
Abstract
This study uses a unique combination of geostationary and low-Earth
orbiting satellite-based observations of lightning and precipitation,
respectively, to examine the evolution of deep convection during the
tropical cyclone (TC) lifecycle. The study spans the Atlantic Basin
hurricane seasons of 2018-2021 and is unique as it provides the first
known analysis of total lightning (intra cloud and cloud to ground)
observed in TCs through their extratropical transition and post-tropical
cyclone (PTC) phases. We consider the TC lifecycle stage, geographic
location (e.g., land, coast, ocean), shear strength, and quadrant
relative to the storm motion and environmental shear vectors. Total
lightning maxima are found in the forward right quadrant relative to
storm motion and downshear of the TC center, consistent with previous
studies using mainly cloud-to-ground lightning. Increasing environmental
shear focuses the lightning maxima to the downshear right quadrant with
respect to the shear vector in tropical storm phases. Vertical profiles
of radar reflectivity from the Global Precipitation Measurement mission
show that super-electrically active convective precipitation features
(>100 flashes) within the PTC phase of TCs have deeper
mixed phase depths and higher reflectivity at -10°C than other phases,
indicating the presence of more intense convection. Differences in the
net convective behavior observed throughout TC evolution manifest in
both the TC-scale frequency of lightning-producing cells and the
intensity variations of amongst individual convective cells. The
combination of continuous lightning observations and precipitation
snapshots improves our understanding of convective-scale processes in
TCs, especially in PTC phases, as they traverse the tropics and
mid-latitudes.