Characteristics of cloud-to-ground lightning and its relationship with climate change in Muli, Sichuan province, China

Along with climate change, cloud-to-ground lightning (CG)-caused forest fires are becoming increasingly pronounced. This study employed the Chinese lightning location system data (2009–2015) and worldwide lightning location network data (2005–2015) to jointly analyze CG characteristics and study the correlation between CG and climate change. The Muli county in southwest China was taken as research area. The CG number showed a clear increasing trend on yearly timescale. At the monthly timescale, CG occurred from March to October, with a peak in June. At the daily timescale, 15:00–23:00 (local time) and 00:00–05:00 both had a high CG frequency, and the peak was at 18:00–19:00. We divided CG electric current intensity into six grades and found that negative CG accounted for more than 90% of total CG and, among these, the 3rd and 4th intensity grades accounted for about 70%. To examine the spatial distribution, we focused on lightning-caused forest fires high occurrence seasons. In spring, CG distribution changed from the initial southeast to the northwest, gradually spreading to the whole area of Muli, whereas the CG area gradually moved back to the southeast in autumn. Our research suggested that minimum temperature was the most sensitive temperature to CG change. In March, the relationship between CG and minimum temperature showed a strong positive correlation. Considered jointly, we suggest the CG and related lightning-caused forest fires could increase in the future under an increased minimum temperature and decreased precipitation, especially in March.