Polarimetric Radar and Surface Electric Potential Gradient Study of Non-Thunderstorm Cumulus Cloud Electrification

Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) and Patrick Space Force Base (PSFB) Lightning Launch Commit Criteria are focused on flight safety regarding lightning producing or potential lightning producing clouds. The Cumulus Cloud Rule is focused on non-lightning producing, electrified cumulus clouds with warmer cloud top temperatures. Our work regarding these warmer cloud top temperature cumulus clouds utilizes the PSFB weather radar and the surface field mill network to assess the degree of electrification. The Cumulus Cloud Rule emphasizes the cloud top temperature in assessing triggered lightning risk for these clouds. Our work seeks to identify other radar parameters or cloud development conditions in tandem with cloud top temperature that are useful for predicting the surface potential gradient around these non-lightning producing, warm cloud top temperature clouds.