Dual-polarization X-band weather radar observations in Dallas Forth Worth as lightning precursors

The Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Urban Demonstration Network is composed of a network of eight dual-polarization X-band weather radars to improve hazardous weather forecasts, warnings and response in a densely populated urban environment. These radars provide weather hazard information at spatial and temporal scales that are relevant to urban decision-making and human response.

In this paper, we present a methodology that identifies lightning precursors via estimation of storm liquid and solid water content by supervised particle classification based on high-resolution and reliable polarimetric weather radar observations over DFW urban area. Lighting and polarimetric observations are analysed in a storm centred framework for severe storms that hit DFW Metroplex during the storm seasons of 2014-2015. In addition, radar-based observations are compared with model outputs from high resolution Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF) short-term model runs to demonstrate new capability to identify proper microphysics prone to cloud electrification.