[M-IS06] Extreme Weather and Disasters in Southeast Asia

[MIS06-11] Relationship between lightning activity and heavy rainfall in Manila in the Philippines

*Hisayuki Kubota¹, Yukihiro Takahashi¹, Mitsuteru Sato¹, Glenn Vincent Lopez², Yoshihisa Yamanouchi³, Akiyoshi Fukaya³ (1.Hokkaido University, 2.Advanced Science and Technology Institute, 3. IHI Corporation)

Keywords:Heavy rainfall, Lightning, Philippines

Lightning activity is expected as one of precursor of heavy rainfall formed in the cumulonimbus. On the other hand, the development of cumulonimbus is hard to predict due to short duration and coarse temporal and spatial observation. Forty-one P-POTEKA instruments were deployed in Metro Manila and dense weather and lightning observation network were created under the ULAT (Understanding Lightning and Thunderstorm) of SATREPS (Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development) in the Philippines.
Philippines is an archipelago country which is located in the western side of tropical western Pacific. There is a distinct summer monsoon called “Habagat” in the western side of the country including Metro Manila. In this study, we utilize World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) data to identify lightning in Metro Manila area. Heavy rainfall and intense lightning activity tend to occur from May to October. We focus on pre-monsoon season on May when lightning event is very active.
During May 2020, 21 days of heavy rainfall of more than 10mm/h were observed in our dense observation network in Metro Manila. Within 21 days, lightning was occurred 18 days of 86% of high ratio. And about 50% of 9 lightning days, lightning occurred in advance of heavy rainfall. The average of lead time of lightning was about 46 minutes. Lightning measurements showed a predictability of heavy rainfall. We will expand the analysis period to increase the case studies.