Impact of Lightning Data Assimilation on Forecasts of a Leeward Slope Precipitation Event in the Western Margin of the Junggar Basin

A moderate precipitation event occurring in northern Xinjiang, a region with a continental climate with little rainfall, and in leeward slope areas influenced by topography is important but rarely studied. In this study, the performance of lightning data assimilation is evaluated in the short-term forecasting of a moderate precipitation event along the western margin of the Junggar Basin and eastern Jayer Mountain. Pseudo-water vapor observations driven by lightning data are assimilated in both single and cycling analysis experiments of the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) three-dimensional variational (3DVAR) system. Lightning data assimilation yields a larger increment in the relative humidity in the analysis field at the observed lightning locations, and the largest increment is obtained in the cycling analysis experiment. Due to the increase in water vapor content in the analysis field, more suitable thermal and dynamic conditions for moderate precipitation are obtained on the leeward slope, and the ice-phase and raindrop particle contents increase in the forecast field. Lightning data assimilation significantly improves the short-term leeward slope moderate precipitation prediction along the western margin of the Junggar Basin and provides the best forecast skill in cycling analysis experiments.