Insights into Intense Lightning Activity During the Lifetime of Super Typhoon Doksuri (2023)

The characteristics and formation mechanisms of lightning activity during the lifetime of Super Typhoon Doksuri (2023) were investigated using ERA5 reanalysis data and observation data from the World-Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) and Himawari-8/9 satellite. The lightning activity exhibited pronounced intermittent outbreak behavior, and intense lightning flashes mainly occurred in the outer rainband region approximately 200–600 km from the typhoon center. The occurrence of intense lightning was mainly related to the development of deep convections which were characterized by a high CAPE index and low cloud-top brightness temperature. In the landfall stage, intense lightning outbreaks may have been further modulated by the orographic lifting from the underlying surface and island thermal effects. Strong updrafts within the typhoon provided favorable conditions for intracloud microphysical electrification processes. The formation of intense lightning was interpreted via the non-inductive charging mechanism and validated using E-WRF model simulations. During the first rapid-intensification episode, intense inner-core lightning preceded the typhoon intensity peak by 14–41 h; during the re-intensification episode, it occurred ~9 h after the typhoon peak. These insights into the intense lightning activity in Super Typhoon Doksuri (2023) contribute to improving typhoon forecasting and disaster warning in the Western Pacific.