Emily Chan
Several other factors, such as air currents and land cover, can also play a role in lightning frequency. In both cities that were studied, the associations with lightning and air pollution were about the same.
“It looks like no matter where you go in the world, urban pollution is capable of enhancing thunderstorms and lightning,” Bentley said.
Furthermore, in both locations, thunderstorms were most common on Thursdays. The quietest day for thunderstorms in Washington, D.C., was Monday, while Friday was the quietest day for Kansas City.
Additionally, when there was the most energy in the atmosphere influenced by factors like humidity and temperature, the levels of air pollution had the greatest impact on the number of lightning strikes.
The phenomenon provides a clearer understanding of how shifts in air pollution might continue to alter meteorological patterns.
Moving forward, the researchers want to examine this relationship in other parts of the world. Currently, they are looking into storms over Bangkok and getting similar results. This suggests the phenomenon occurs globally.
“The environments will be analyzed for differences between urban initiated thunderstorms versus those across the greater region to evaluate the impacts of pollution,” wrote the authors.
The study was published in the journal Atmospheric Research.
