Analysis of Downbursts Emphasizing the Use of 1-min Resolution GOES-16 ABI and GLM Data

Wind events, including downbursts, which are often short-lived, can occur over land and ocean and cause significant damage. Here, we look at hypotheses based on relationships among wind events, lightning activity, cloud top temperature, and driving mechanisms, including that the peak lightning activity and coldest cloud-top temperature should occur several minutes before a wind event is observed at the ground. For the study, the main datasets used are ground-based lightning detection networks in place of the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) and 1-minute GOES-14 super rapid scan operations for GOES-R (SRSOR) in place of the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI). This comparison of updated proxy data each minute reveals how new 1-min resolution capabilities of the instruments aboard GOES-R/GOES-16 provide valuable information for rapidly evolving weather events such as a downburst – the data can reveal lightning jumps and temperature dips that occur near the same time, prior to a wind event. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model run at 500 m resolution provides information about the in-cloud physical processes (e.g. a strengthening updraft lofting hydrometeors, allowing cloud electrification and increasing cloud top height followed by a strengthening downdraft associated with precipitation loading/evaporation/melting and a decreasing cloud top height) that drive the relationship between lightning and cloud-top characteristics, especially for events over ocean where data is scarce. Our presentation will highlight the work completed to date, with a focus on downbursts over ocean (Gulf of Mexico) and land regions (West Texas).