Lightning Enhancement in Moist Convection With Smoke?Laden Air Advected From Australian Wildfires

The 2019–2020 Australian wildfire crisis broke the historical bushfire record and heavily contaminated continental offshore atmosphere. This study found that lightning strokes increase considerably, by 73% over land 270% ocean, during season. Thermodynamic parameters support a weaker forcing, unfavorable for frequent activity ocean. Clear augmentation of smaller cloud ice particles is identified with aerosol, while liquid water path changes are feeble Added aerosol invigorates positive intra-cloud (IC) negative cloud-to-ground (CG) in moist oceanic convection facilitates noticeable correlation between precipitation strokes. Rainfall events accompanied 240% added aerosol. Aerosol advected from to ocean can lead larger hydrometeor concentration smaller-size crystals above freezing level thereby, invigorate convective strength systematically stimulate more robust mixed-phase development, energizing discharge process.