LIGHTNING DATA AND STUDY OF THUNDERSTORM NOWCASTING^*

From June 30 to September 14,1989,about 2000 cloud-to-ground lightning location data have been collected by a three-direction-finder network in Beijing.These data have been used to study the spatial distribution of lightning including thunderstorm day,thunder density and thunderstorm hour.As a result of the terrain elevation,a clearly identifiable influence from the underlying topography was found.The lightning activity was mainly concentrated on the sunny side of the mountain,i.e.,the east slope of Taihang Mountain,then eastward along the south side of Yanshan Mountain.The comparison analysis of lightning data and radar echoes from several mesoscale convective systems in 1989 and 1990 suggests that lightning data can be used to determine the convective activity,its development probability and intensity.It can also be used to identify the different stages of a storm.The grid lightning data may be used in regional forecasting of storm.Case analysis shows that it is possible to forecast the position of active echo 30 minutes to an hour after lightning occurrence by using grid lightning data.