On the relationship between the cloud-to-ground lightning characteristics and th air quality over Guangzhou megacity, South China

The relationship between the cloud-to-ground lightning characteristics and the air quality data over Guangzhou megacity, South China was investigated in this report. A simple method was proposed to cluster lightning location data into two types of thunderstorms: the traverse thunderstorms and the local ones. It was found that the AQI (air quality index), PM₁₀ concentration, PM_2.5 concentration, NO₂ concentration and O₃ concentration were positively correlated to the number of cloud-to-ground lightning flashes for the local thunderstorms. It was also found that the ratio of the positive cloud-to-ground flashes showed decreasing trend and the duration of the local thunderstorm showed increasing trend as the PM10 concentration increased. No obvious correlation was observed for the cloud-to-ground lightning count and the SO₂ concentration.