Comparison of World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) Data and Standard Observations at Weather Stations in the Southern Russian Far East

摘要

Standard observations at 20 weather stations were compared with data of the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) in the south of the Russian Far East for the period of 2009-2018. Using two statistical methods, the estimates are obtained of the radii of the circular region of the WWLLN data sample, at which the best consistency of the WWLLN data with the number of days with thunderstorms according to weather station data is observed. It is shown that these radii are in the range from 12 to 36 km for all stations, with an average value of 23 km. Daytime radii are smaller than nighttime ones, the average values for all stations are equal to 21 and 26 km, respectively. It is demonstrated that an increase/decrease in the radius of the WWLLN data sample by 1 km relative to the average value leads to an increase/decrease in the average annual number of days with WWLLN lightning strikes relative to weather reports by similar to 1 day.