Some Mesoscale features in Canadian Lightning Data

With the completion of the Canadian Lightning Detection Network in 1998, lightning data have now been available for the entire Great Lakes basin for close to 3 years. We study the spatial, diurnal and seasonal characteristics of lightning in the lower Great lakes. Using model output we have stratified the data according to certain synoptic features and relate lightning occurrence to these factors. We also relate lightning occurrence to other factors such as lake breezes and physiographic factors. We attempt to identify source regions of lightning where storms appear to originate by using case studies.