Validation of RDT product based on MSG data with Ukrainian Total Lightning Network (UTLN) data

The paper presents the results of validation of RDT SAF product based on MSG data with ENTLN data over Eastern Europe.  Ukrainian Total Lightning Network (UTLN), as a part of Earth Networks, installed in Ukraine is capable to detects the components of both intra-cloud (IC) and cloud-to-ground (CG) flashes with a high efficiency and very precise spatial detection (200 m) and covered area over Eastern Europe. Total lightning (IC and CG) provides significantly better identification of storm severity. The components of total lightning detection consist from lightning flashes and pulses, lightning cell (cluster of flashes), trajectory of lightning cell tracking, lightning flash rate (flashes/min) and a warning area ahead of the storm cell, based on combination of information from the cells, such as the moving speed and direction and size of the cell. The RDT (Rapid Development Thunderstorm) product is an object-oriented diagnostic for convective clouds or cells. RDT is based on MSG data and demonstrates tracks of clouds, identifies those that are convective (discrimination), and provides some descriptive attributes for their dynamics. The detection algorithm allows to define “cells” which represent the cloud systems. In the RDT algorithm, “cells” are defined on infrared images (channel IR10.8) by applying a threshold which is specific to each cloud system, depending on local brightness temperature pattern. We download RDT product using API of Eumetview(https://view.eumetsat.int/productviewer?v=default).

Validation process includes joint  analysis of 15 min RDT SAF, MSG RGB’s images  and ENTLN data with different levels of severity from 01.04.2023 to 31.05.2025. We use a specific software developed for visualization of RDT, NWP, RGB and lighting data to detect severe weather.  The analysis shows a good agreement between RDT and ENTLN data, especially from June to August, when the convective processes over Eastern Europe have maximum intensity and does not depend of geographical locations of severe weather objects. Some specific cases were analyzed in details.