Lightning statistics and spatial distribution in South Korea in 2023

An analysis of lightning strike statistics and spatial distributions in South Korea was conducted throughout 2023 to archive records and to support weather research through the use of radar data. The annual lightning strikes reached 73,341, demonstrating a twofold increase from 36,750 in the previous year but still below the 10-year (2014-2023) average of 93,380. Temporal analysis shows summer recorded the highest number of lightning strikes at 55,258, accounting for 75.35% of annual occurrences, a pattern consistent with the 10-year average. June, October, and December exhibited higher strikes than the 10-year average, while February, March, and August showed significantly lower activity. Spatial distribution examination identified Gyeongsangbuk-do as the dominant region with 12,892 strikes constituting 17.58% of the total. In contrast, Daejeon Metropolitan City recorded the lowest count with 270 strikes, equivalent to 0.37%. The grid investigation revealed high activity zones over the West Sea and around Seoul and Busan, representing increased strikes compared to the 10-year average. Ground-to-cloud discharges prevailed, with high intensities recorded over the South Sea relative to other regions. The five days with the highest number of lightning strikes were identified as 27 June, 11 July, 12 July, 26 July, and 26 October, followed by an analysis of regional strike distribution for each date. This study contributes to an improved understanding of lightning climatology in South Korea, enhancing meteorological forecasting capabilities.

This research was supported by the "Development of radar based severe weather monitoring technology (KMA2021-03121)" of "Development of integrated application technology for Korea weather radar" project funded by the Weather Radar Center, Korea Meteorological Administration.