Process / pipelineSevere weather prediction

Lightning Jump

The lightning jump is a rapid increase in lightning activity (number of flashes per unit time) that precedes severe weather including hail, heavy rain, and tornadoes. This phenomenon, observed using satellite or ground-based lightning detection networks, is an operational diagnostic tool for real-time severe weather warning.

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Sources

  1. Schultz, E., Petersen, W. A., & Rudlosky, S. D. (2009). Preliminary Development and Validation of the Specific Convective Activity Signature (SCAS) Product using Optical Transient Detector and Geostationary Satellite Data. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 48(4), 642-655. DOI: 10.1175/2008JAMC2035.1
  2. Mosier, R. M., Czarnecki, C., & Carey, L. D. (2011). Radar and Lightning Observations of the 1 August 2008 Kinston, North Carolina Supercell. Weather and Forecasting, 26(4), 459-474. DOI: 10.1175/WAF-D-10-05049.1

Related methods

ScholarGateLightning Jump (Lightning Jump Severe Weather Indicator). Retrieved 2026-06-04 from https://scholargate.app/en/meteorology/lightning-jump