A recent study conducted by researchers at James Madison University (JMU) has revealed that air pollution is intensifying summertime thunderstorms, leading to more frequent and severe lightning strikes. The study, led by JMU geography professor Mace Bentley, was published in the journal Atmospheric Research.
The research focused on how pollution particles, which act as cloud nuclei, contribute to the formation and intensification of thunderstorms. According to Bentley, “Pollution acts as cloud nuclei. It gets brought into the cloud through the updraft; the updraft and downdraft then separate the pollution particles, which divides the electrical charges in the cloud and leads to more lightning production.”
Over a span of three years, the study analyzed nearly 200,000 thunderstorms in the Washington, D.C., area and over 300,000 in Kansas City. By utilizing 12 years of lightning data from the National Lightning Detection Network and air pollution data from hundreds of stations in both cities, the researchers were able to establish a correlation between higher pollution levels and an increase in cloud-to-ground lightning strikes, especially in environments with high atmospheric instability.
Bentley is extending this research to Bangkok, a megacity with higher pollution levels and a tropical climate. Preliminary results indicate that the effects of pollution on thunderstorms and lightning are even more pronounced in Bangkok, suggesting that urban pollution has a global impact on storm severity.
“It looks like no matter where you go in the world, urban pollution is capable of enhancing thunderstorms and lightning,” Bentley concluded, highlighting the widespread implications of air pollution on weather patterns and the potential risks it poses to urban areas globally.
Reference: https://phys.org/news/2024-08-year-air-pollution-thunderstorm-danger.html
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