Lightning activity during the tropical cyclone genesis

Lightning becomes active during the developing stage of cumulonimbus associated with strong upward motion. Recently the relationship between lightning activity and tropical cyclone (TC) intensity has been investigated. Lightning tends to increase during the rapid intensification of the TC. Lightning observation network are deployed over the western north Pacific by five very long frequency events trigger measurements called V-POTEKA at Palau, Guam, Manila Philippines, Okinawa Japan and Serpong Indonesia under the ULAT (Understanding Lightning and Thunderstorm) of SATREPS (Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development) in the Philippines since 2017.

Lightning activity was drastically increased around the TC during the TC genesis stage of tropical storm Maysak on 28 August 2020. Numbers of lightning reached the maximum during the life cycle of the TC. Location of lightnings were concentrated near the center of TC within 200 km radius. We called this phenomenon as "lightning burst". It indicates strong cumulonimbus activities were detected through lightning observation during the TC genesis. Lightning bursts tend to occur when TC generates near the coast of the Philippines during 2020-2021 analysis. The environment of land-based aerosol will be necessary for more lightnings in the TCs and the lightning bursts. To identify the threat of TC landfall in the Philippines in advance, lightning activity can be an indicator to monitor the development of tropical disturbances.