Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Lightning Activity over Bulgaria during the Period 2012–2021 Based on ATDnet Lightning Data

Abstract

In the present study, lightning activity based on data from ATDnet over the territory of Bulgaria for the 10-year period between 2012 and 2021 is evaluated. This analysis shows the highest lightning activity with the greatest number of thunderstorm days in June. December is the month with the lowest number of flashes and thunderstorm days. It was found that more than 30% of thunderstorm days annually are in the cold half of the year over the southern part of the considered domain. The average diurnal distribution showed a maximum of lightning activity between 12 and 15 UTC, while over some mountainous and sea regions it is between 03 and 06 UTC. The spatial distribution of flash density (fl km−2 y−1) reveals that the number of flashes and the number of thunderstorm days increase with altitude up to 1800 m and then decrease for higher altitudes.