Origins of positive cloud‐to‐ground lightning flashes in the stratiform region of a mesoscale convective system

[1] The origins of positive cloud-to-ground (+CG) lightning in the stratiform region of a leading-line, trailing-stratiform mesoscale convective system (MCS) are investigated. Platforms include radars, NLDN data, and a VHF 3-D lightning mapping system. This study examines a small asymmetric MCS that occurred near the Colorado-Kansas border in June 2000. In this storm 39 of the 269 +CGs produced over a nearly 5-hour period came to ground within the stratiform region. Of these, 30 initiated in the leading convective line and propagated rearward before coming to ground. Nine other +CGs originated within the stratiform region. Stratiform +CGs were observed to propagate mostly horizontally through vertically thin layers. The observations suggest that stratiform charge is a conduit for +CG lightning from the convective line, and can initiate +CGs as well.

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