Total lightning trend analysis of two EF-4 tornado producing supercells from February 6, 2008

Rapid increases in lightning activity in severe thunderstorms, also known as lightning jumps, have been shown to occur well in advance of the manifestation of severe weather at the ground. However, not all thunderstorms that exhibit this "jump signature" produce severe weather,and not all severe thunderstorms demonstrate a significant lightning jump. Based on the aforementioned positive result (lightning-severe weather), an analysis of two tornadic supercells from February 6, 2008 has been performed to investigate trends in total lightning for each storm. Also, comparisons between lightning trends and reflectivity, azimuthal shear, and vertically integrated liquid (VIL) have been completed to related lightning trends to radar derived products.