The heavy class imbalance problem and the multi-source observations fusion remain challenges for lightning nowcasting based on deep learning method. To address the problems, this paper proposes a novel lightning augmented recurrent nowcasting (LARN) model which trained with a two-step training approach. The first training stage is designed as a lightning augmented pretraining (LAP) module based on

The impact of aerosol on the development of deep convective clouds and the growth of hydrometeors was investigated using the Weather Research and Forecasting model with a detailed spectral bin microphysics scheme. The simulated cloud top temperature, the vertical profile of moving speed of hydrometeors, and the spatial distributions of precipitation rate were compared with observations from satellite

Under the context of climate change, the climatic conditions for maize during different growth stages in Northeast China (NEC) exert a markedly varying influence on the final yield. We define nine Climate-Year Types (CYTs) based on the probability density functions of temperature and precipitation, aiming to explore the underlying drivers of climatic factors contributing to yield shocks. By incorporating

The evaluation of precipitation events is crucial for predicting severe droughts and floods, particularly in the context of global warming. This study presents a comprehensive spatiotemporal analysis of the global precipitation concentration index (CI) from 1950 to 2020, comparing CI with nine extreme precipitation indices to assess its applicability. The world map was divided into three distinct regions

This study attempts to correct the attenuation of the radar reflectivity factor from two X-band radars in Cyprus, using a constrained attenuation correction method. This research was implemented under the assumption that the difference between the reflectivity measured by each of the ground radars, on the one hand, and the reflectivity measured by the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission

Much of the Earth's surface lacks long-term in-situ measurement of essential meteorological variables. Climate reanalysis datasets provide an alternative in data-sparse regions, sometimes replacing gauge-based observations for climatological studies, however, they have inherent biases. Reanalysis is now available at finer spatial and temporal resolutions, that can be considered for hydrological and

El Niño event usually intensifies Hadley Circulation (HC), meanwhile reducing its meridional extension. From a global perspective, the width change of HC is associated with the meridional movement of baroclinic instability and eddy activities over the subtropics. However, these hypotheses may not work for regional HC. In this study, we construct the three-dimensional structure of HC and investigate

This study evaluates the spatio-temporal coherence of regional extreme precipitation indices in subtropical Argentina (STAr) derived from rain gauge station data from 1991 to 2021. For the regionalization two machine learning clustering algorithms are used—Ward's method and K-means—and a novel stepwise regionalization approach, HAZ. While machine learning algorithms require the apriori definition of

Atmospheric deposition of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is not routinely measured in existing observation networks worldwide. This paucity of measurements prevents the comprehensive assessment of the global DOC budget in the atmosphere and is currently a barrier to understanding the vital role of the airborne DOC input to soil and water. In this study, 172 observations of atmospheric DOC deposition

This study focuses on heat waves (HWs) variability over South Asia (SA) influenced by El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) during 1950–2023. The influence factor and driving mechanism for HWs variability over SA in the El Niño and La Niña years are discussed. We observe positive composite anomalies of HWs events and frequency over the north-western region of SA in La Niña years but negative composite

Regional extreme precipitation can cause severe flooding with major environmental and social impacts. While most existing studies either ignored their spatiotemporally contiguous or abnormally break down the events with multiple rainstorm cores, rapid movement, or transient interruptions into multiple isolated fragments. Here, we propose a novel approach for identifying regional rainstorm events (RREs)

Notable “roller coaster”-type temperature fluctuations occurred in the 2024 winter in China though the seasonal mean temperature displayed a normal value. The standard deviation of daily temperature anomalies broke the highest record since 1961. By adopting an objective definition of the “roller coaster”-type temperature fluctuation, 19 events of such occurrences are observed during 1981–2024, four

Compound heatwaves (CHWs) pose more severe environmental and socio-economic risks than individual heatwave events, with their frequency increasing rapidly worldwide. In the Arctic, particularly the Barents–Kara Sea (BKS), CHWs are intensifying, accelerating ice melt, permafrost thaw, and ecosystem disruptions. Accurate climate projections require a robust assessment of climate models' ability to simulate

Lightning poses varying degrees of threat to human production, life and personal safety because of its huge destructive power. Lightning prediction with intensity estimation is an important reference for disaster warning, determining lightning protection level and real-time and dynamic lightning risk assessment. Real-time observation of total lightning can compensate for the problem of limited range

The absence of in situ precipitation data in remote small and medium watersheds (SMWs) highlights the need for reliable satellite precipitation estimations (SPEs). This study evaluates and compares the updated Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement (IMERG) V07 Final Run uncalibrated (V07F-Uncal) and calibrated (V07F-Cal) products against their predecessors (V06F-Uncal

The energy transfer within the planetary boundary layer (PBL) is a crucial variable influencing weather processes both on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and in its downstream areas. This paper assesses the accuracy of ground-based microwave radiometer (MWR) in comparison with radiosonde data in different weather conditions. The effects of surface heat flux and precipitation on the atmosphere in different

PM2.5 pollution is a significant contributor to both respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. An aging population is more sensitive to air pollution. Hence accurately predicting PM2.5 concentrations is crucial for safeguarding public health in an aging society. Machine learning is one of the key research methods in the field of PM2.5 concentration short-term forecasting. However, existing short-term

The Andes-Amazon transition region features critically important ecological services on the local, regional and global scales. This region is among the rainiest zones in the world, with rainfall rates of up to 7000 mm/year. However, the physical mechanisms leading to the existence of these “precipitation hotspots” remain poorly known. Here, we attempt to disentangle the controlling atmospheric mechanisms

Investigating the interaction mechanisms between aerosols and lightning activity is a critical scientific issue in understanding the coupling of urban atmospheric environments with regional weather, holding significant value for extreme weather warnings and climate change adaptation. However, recent studies rarely explain the mechanisms of aerosol impacts on lightning activity from the perspective

Severe air pollution in urban areas poses a significant threat to residents' health and has raised considerable concerns. The influence of topography on air pollution, particularly in mountainous regions, is substantial. The Sichuan Basin (SCB), known as one of China's most polluted areas, exhibits complex topography that interacts synergistically with weather conditions and anthropogenic emissions

The Indian Lightning Location Network (ILLN), established by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), provides a comprehensive framework for investigating lightning phenomena, thunderstorm dynamics, and associated nowcasting/forecasting methodologies. ILLN is a ground-based lightning location system operating in VLF/LF/HF radio frequency bands, facilitating effective nationwide lightning

As an important absorptive component of aerosols in the atmosphere, black carbon (BC) plays a key role in climatic processes. Continuous BC measurements in the atmosphere of Nanjing, China, were performed from 2015 to 2022. By combining data from PM2.5, PM10, SO2, CO, NO2, O3 and meteorological variables, the temporal variations in BC during different pollution events were determined in this study

Understanding frontal clouds and precipitation is crucial due to its increasing variability and intensity driven by global warming, which impacts agriculture, water resource management, and climate adaptation. Autumn precipitation in Central China is frequently induced by extratropical cyclones, often featuring a frontal cloud system influenced by warm conveyor belt (WCB). In this paper, the detailed

Fundamental research on refined observations and structural characteristics of the spatial and temporal evolution of precipitation-producing weather in the Mount Everest region (MER) is lacking. Via the second comprehensive scientific investigation and research plan of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, in this paper, we report the first observation experiment with multisource remote sensing detection equipment

The Antarctic stratospheric polar vortex (SPV) is a crucial feature of the stratospheric system in winter. The variation in the strength of the Antarctic SPV significantly impacts the weather and climate of the Southern Hemisphere (SH). Although previous studies have provided a good understanding of the variations in the strength of the Antarctic SPV and its associated physical mechanisms, the trend

Fengyun satellite series offers Quantitative Precipitation Estimates (QPEs) with high spatiotemporal resolution, providing coverage at both regional and global scales. However, as indirect estimates of precipitation based on infrared data, Fengyun-2G (FY-2G) QPEs inherently contain considerable regional and seasonal uncertainties. In this study, to mitigate these errors, we propose a novel calibration

The impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown on thunderstorm properties, influenced by changes in air quality, were investigated in Northeastern (Kohima, 25.66° N, 94.08° E) and Eastern (Rampurhat, 24.17° N, 87.78° E) India using seven years of ground-based observations. During the lockdown period (LP), Cloud-to-ground (CG) flashes decreased by 67 % and 51 % over Kohima and Rampurhat respectively. Reductions

This study investigates the spatial characteristics and prediction of Tropical Cyclone (TC)-induced storm surges at 18 coastal sites along the Guangdong and Hong Kong coasts when TCs are within 800 km of the sites, using the TC best-track datasets and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts datasets from 2009 to 2023. Innovatively, we developed a figure-based statistical model utilizing

The elevated concentration of ammonium (NH4+) in PM2.5 is a significant contributor to haze formation. However, the reduction potential and sources of its precursor ammonia (NH3) remain unclear, particularly in the Sichuan Basin, where limited attention has been given to these issues. Here, daily PM2.5 samples were simultaneously collected from the cities of Chengdu and Chongqing between 1 September

Effective management of water resources and the development of climate adaptation strategies in arid and semi-arid regions increasingly rely on a comprehensive understanding of water cycle processes in the context of global climate change. This study focuses on the Hunshandake Sandy Land, a key ecological barrier in northern China. It analyzes the influence of climate conditions and moisture sources

Multiple satellites are currently in orbit around the Earth, providing reliable and consistent estimates of the column-averaged dry-air mole fraction of CO2, i.e., XCO2. However, the satellite datasets suffer spatiotemporal gaps due to the narrow swath widths and the influence of clouds and aerosols. Model-derived CO2 datasets can fill these gaps; however, these model datasets lack the consistency

Data primarily from the China Lightning Detection Network and dual-polarization radars were analyzed to investigate the cloud-to-ground lightning activity and its relationship with the thunderstorm structure in a supercell in Wuhan, Hubei, China, on May 14, 2021. This storm produced an EF3-scale (Enhanced Fujita Scale) tornado and exhibited complex variations in cloud-to-ground lightning activity.

The profuse winter rainfall over Taiwan's northern coastal mountain area (NCMA) was investigated and quantified, focusing on the associated daily weather types, for ten winters from November 2010 to February 2021. The dominant rainfall-producing system we identified is the boundary-layer-top clouds associated with the northeasterly monsoon (N-type weather), contributing 43 % to the rainfall and 55

Against the background of global warming, the increasing frequency of extreme high-temperature events (EHTF) in East China poses a huge threat to societal development and public health, and this was starkly demonstrated by the record-breaking EHTF observed in China in summer 2022. In this study, it was found that the record-breaking dust storm in May 2022 over the Arabian Peninsula accounted for approximately

Extreme precipitation events have recently increased due to global warming, leading to higher humidity and temperatures. Therefore, accurate, updated, and comprehensive precipitation estimations are essential to mitigate the severe losses caused by these extreme events. Satellite precipitation products provide high spatiotemporal resolution and global coverage, enabling improved detection and estimation

Understanding and predicting pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb) thunderclouds is challenging due to their unpredictable nature and potential to exacerbate wildfires. This study employs a three-dimensional (3D) numerical model with a non-inductive electrification mechanism to explore how fire-produced aerosol concentrations influence the charge structure and lightning activity in pyroCb. Aerosol particle concentrations

The impacts of terrain and urban surfaces on regional hourly extreme precipitation events (RHEPE) in Henan Province of China under specific synoptic conditions remain unclear. In this study, we first identify the dominant synoptic patterns associated with the summer RHEPEs in Henan and surrounding areas by employing spectral clustering methods, revealing that 86 % of RHEPEs are induced by the low vortexes

Since the successful launch and operation of the FengYun-3E (FY-3E) satellite, the assessment of its data quality and applications has garnered significant attention. By comparison with previous studies focusing on the assessment on a single case, this research assimilates the Microwave Humidity Sounder-2 (MWHS-2) and the Microwave Temperature Sounder-3 (MWTS-3) data to evaluate the track and intensity

The frequency, severity, and duration of wildfires are on the rise worldwide, underscoring the importance of comprehending the health impacts of wildfire exposure. The main aim of this work is to examine the effects that the Northern Greece forest fires during August 2023 had on regional air quality levels. On August 21st, a massive forest fire started within the Dadia Forest National Park, a protected

The radiative perturbation of the Earth's energy balance caused by all aerosols, the direct radiative effect (DRE), and anthropogenic aerosols, the direct radiative forcing (DRF), remain major sources of uncertainty in climate projections. Here we propose a method for determining DRE and DRF that makes use of the High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL)-retrieved aerosol loading and derived aerosol types

The Qilian Mountains (QM) in northwest China is a key source of orographic cloud formation, significantly influencing regional weather, climate, and hydrological balance. However, due to the sparse distribution of ground-based observational stations, the characteristics of orographic clouds and their associated precipitation remain insufficiently understood. Utilizing FengYun-4A black body temperature

Global warming and subsequent climate change are currently a major issue both in the scientific community and the society. Therefore it is highly important to consistently monitor the concentrations of greenhouse gases that affect the incoming-outgoing energy balance. To that end, a portable Bruker EM27/SUN FTIR spectrometer is operated in Thessaloniki, Greece since January 2019, performing measurements

Based on multiple datasets, the spring rainy season onset (RSO) date over southern China is objectively determined and validated, and the relationship between RSO and tropical Pacific SST is then explored. The RSO date is defined as the time when the cumulative precipitation departure over southern China reaches its minimum value, with a climatological onset date of March 14 and a standard deviation

In the boreal winter of 2023/2024, the 10-hPa stratosphere experienced unprecedented planetary wave activity. This led to two major sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) events occurring on January 16 and March 4. The onset processes of both SSWs demonstrated clear stratosphere-troposphere coupling. On one hand, notable precursor signals were detected in the troposphere before each SSW. Approximately

This study evaluates the effectiveness of silver iodide (AgI) cloud seeding in Romania by comparing radar-derived parameters of 20 seeded and 20 unseeded severe hailstorms observed between 2017 and 2022. Radar data from S and C-band systems were analyzed using six key parameters, including maximum reflectivity (Zmax), vertically integrated liquid (VIL), Volume of the cloud with reflectivity more than

Human-induced nitrogen (N) emissions have enhanced atmospheric N deposition in many polluted regions. However, the spatiotemporal relations between N emissions and deposition remain poorly characterized, which hampers N emission management and effect evaluation in polluted regions. This study investigated dry and wet inorganic N (IN) deposition at representative urban and suburban sites from June 2018

This study investigates premonsoon (April) thundercloud properties over Northeastern (Kohima, 25.6°N, 94.1°E) and Eastern (Rampurhat, 24.2°N, 87.8°E) India. Thunderclouds were detected using Electric Field Mills (EFM-100) and Lightning Detectors (LD-350), while the WRF model was employed to simulate thundercloud properties. Simulations were performed across all 30 days in each region, regardless of

Accurate and fine-grained precipitation nowcasting holds paramount importance for weather-dependent decision-making and is facing escalating expectations and challenges. While researchers have notably advanced precipitation nowcasting using deep learning (DL) models with larger sizes and more complicated structures, there is scarce research exploring the potential improvement from employing radar data

The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), as key oceanic boundary conditions, play a pivotal role in modulating regional climate variability. However, their influence on subseasonal dynamical prediction has yet to be fully understood. Focusing on Central Southwest Asia (CSWA), a region urgently needing accurate subseasonal prediction and significantly influenced by ENSO

Snow cover can significantly alter the energy fluxes that take part on the surface energy balance (SEB), which subsequently affects surface air temperature. However, studies of the influence of snow cover on the SEB are scarce due to limited observational data and usually constrained to high altitudes or mountainous areas. In this study, the SEB is analysed under two differentiated land surface conditions:

The abrupt alternation between floods and droughts can have catastrophic impacts on local communities. In 2019, Southeast China experiences an extreme flood-drought abrupt alternation (FDAA), characterized by record-breaking flood in July and extreme drought in August. This study investigates the atmospheric circulations driving this FDAA and identifies the key mechanisms involved. Both the flood in

The increasing impacts on regional climate of sea ice anomalies have spatio-temporal uncertainties, this study investigates the possible relationships between Arctic sea ice anomalies and intra-seasonal evolution of winter temperature in Northwest China (with a particular emphasis on Xinjiang). The reanalysis dataset during 1990–2022 from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction and the National

In this study, the thunderstorms (TS) cloud top height (CTH) data of the advanced geosynchronous radiation imager of the Fengyun-4 A (FY-4 A, a geostationary satellite) were quality-controlled using the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) data, and the lightning data of the LMI of the FY-4 A were processed by the cluster analysis method. The convective systems

This study analyzes the role of dust particles on the formation of an anomalous charge structure in a thunderstorm observed on 14 October 2016 around Corsica. The cloud-resolving model Meso-NH with explicit aerosol-microphysics coupling is used to simulate realistically the interactions between the storm and the dust plume. This reference simulation shows no liquid water content in the convective region

The response of vegetation to drought is a crucial aspect of understanding ecosystem adaptation to climate change. Response time (RT) to drought serves as a key metric to quantify vegetation anomalies induced by drought events. However, it remains unclear from the perspective of event. Therefore, we quantified the RT of Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) to meteorological drought

Climate change and the resulting warming caused by human activities, such as releasing greenhouse gases (GHG), notably carbon dioxide (CO2), are paramount concerns in the contemporary era. Therefore, it is essential to understand spatial and temporal variations of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration (XCO2) on national and international scales and the role of controlling variables. This research