LIGHTNING IN THE

PENISULAR MALAYSIA

byby

Mazly MohamedKLIA Meteorological Office

Malaysian Meteorological Department

ABSTRACT

Based on Lightning Detection

Systems that were upgraded in

May 2009, a research has been

conducted to study lightning activities in the

Peninsular Malaysia starting May 2009 until Peninsular Malaysia starting May 2009 until

June 2010. Lightning Detection System (LDS)

consists of eight sensors. Data from these

sensors will be taken and analyzed, and it can

be concluded that the lightning activity

depends on the climate change in Malaysia.

The characteristic features of the

climate of Malaysia are uniform

temperature, high humidity and copious rainfall

and also the weather in Malaysia is characterized

by two monsoon regimes, namely, the Southwest

Monsoon from late May to September and the

Northeast Monsoon from November to March. Northeast Monsoon from November to March.

The Northeast Monsoon brings heavy rainfall,

particularly to the east coast states of Peninsular

Malaysia and western Sarawak, whereas the

Southwest Monsoon normally signifies relatively

drier weather. The transition period in between the

monsoons is known as the inter monsoon period.

PART I

LIGHTNING DETECTION

&

LIGHTNING

BASICS

What is a Lightning

Detection System

• detects lightning

• is not a lightning protection system • is not a lightning protection system

• a lightning protection system

provides a designated path for

lightning current to travel harmlessly

to the ground

Main Methods of

Lightning Detection

• Magnetic directional finding

• Time of arrival

• Interferometry

Other Methods of

Lightning Detection

• Flash Counter

• Lightning Mapping Satellite (using Optical Transient Detector and Lightning Imaging Sensor)Detector and Lightning Imaging Sensor)

• Lightning Detection and Ranging (LDAR) by NASA

• Arrival-Time-Difference by theUK Meteorological Office

Types of Lightning

• Cloud-to-ground

• Intra-cloud

• Inter-cloud

• Cloud-to-sky

(sprites)

PART II

AN OVERVIEW OF THE

LIGHTNING DETECTION

SYSTEM OF THE MMD

Lightning Detection

System of the MMD

• Consist of two sub-systems:

(a) Wide Area Lightning Localization sub-system Localization sub-system (SAFIR)

(b) Precision Lightning Warning sub-system

(PLWS)

Wide Area Lightning

Localization System

• consists of:

(a) 8 interferometry sensors

(b) 2 Central Processor(b) 2 Central Processor

(c) 2 Main User Terminals

Safir 3000 Detection

Station

Data from the Detection

Stations

• (a) lightning data every second

• (b) detection station status every second

• (b) detection station status every second

• (c) auto-test data every 5 minutes

The Precision Lightning

Warning System

• consists of:

(a) 3 Electrostatic Field Mills

(b) 2 Precision Lightning Warning Console

(c) 7 Remote Alarm Displays

Weaknesses of the

Lightning Detection

System

• 8 sensors are just sufficient to

cover the whole of Peninsular

• unsuitability of certain sites that

are noisy and has obstructions

• uneven spacing of sensors

Improving the lightning

detection system

• replacement with newer and

more efficient sensors

• relocation of some of the sensors

to better sites

• Increasing the number of sensors

Lightning Detection System

of the Malaysian Meteorological

Department (MMD) consist of two sub-

systems. These sub-systems are Wide

Area Lightning Localization sub-system

(SAFIR) and Precision Lightning

Methodology

(SAFIR) and Precision Lightning

Warning sub-system (PLWS). Data from

the Detection Stations report lightning

data every second, detection station

status every second and also auto-test

data every 5 minutes. The data is used

in this research to determine the

lightning in Peninsular Malaysia.

Figure 1

Figure 1 : The Lightning Detection System

(LDS) of the Malaysian Meteorological

Department (MMD) has eight sensors,

located at:

1. Bt. Tangga, Kedah;

2. Bertam, Penang;

3. Parit, Perak;

4. Kuala Krai, Kelantan;

3. Parit, Perak;

4. Kuala Krai, Kelantan;

5. Jengka, Pahang;

6. Klang, Selangor;

7. Jasin, Melaka and

8. Mersing, Johor.

Accuracy of the Lightning Detection

System (LDS) of the MMD

The accuracy of a lightning detection system

depends on a number of factors, among them the

types and number of sensors installed, the

location of the sensor in relation to each other,

sites’ topography, surrounding obstructions, sites’ topography, surrounding obstructions,

structures and environment.

Three LDS sensors are the minimum requirement

for it to compute data. Therefore, the sensors

should not be placed apart more than its nominal

range (200km for Very High Frequency (VHF)

sensors) and it would be bad strategy to place

them all in a straight line.

Preferably, the detection stations

should be located about 100km inland

for wider coverage of land area.

A redundant number of sensors are

recommended as it is not possible to ensure that

all the sensors are functional at all times due to

communication line interruption, hardware

failure, or power outage. Careful selection of site failure, or power outage. Careful selection of site

is also necessary. Noisy sites should be avoided.

VHF sensors are susceptible to vehicles

interference and other transmissions while Low

Frequency (LF) sensors (Computer Generated

(CG) detection) are sensitive to mains voltages

and high tension lines.

Most of the MMD lighting sensors

are in rural areas mostly at sites

provided by Malaysian Agricultural Research

and Development Institute (MARDI) and not in

towns or airports.

Almost all of the meteorological stations

cannot fulfill the conditions as they are mostly

in areas with high traffics volume, high tension

cables and step-down transformer nearby or

within the range of beacons or other

communication transmissions.

Bear in mind the above factors,

just how accurate is the

localization accuracy of the MMD

lightning Detection System?

Case Study 1 Lightning at Parit Lightning Detection

Station

Case Study 2 Lightning at Parit Lightning Detection

Station

Case Study 2 Lightning at Parit Lightning Detection

Station

Case Study 3 Death due to lightning at Tumpat, Kelantan

on 3 June 2009

Case Study 4 Ten anglers injured by K. Terengganu

lightning strike

Case Study 5 Heavy Rain and Flash Floods at Old Klang

Road, Kuala Lumpur on the Afternoon of 6 April 2006

Case Study 6 Thunderstorm, Heary Rain and Flash Flood

in Several Areas of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor on the

Afternoon of 18 May 2010

In general, information

gathered by the lightning

detection system can confirm the

occurrence of lightning at a particular

place and time with sufficient accuracy.

Lightning imageries also coincidesLightning imageries also coincides

closely with that of the weather satellite

and weather radars. Lightning

information certainly helps and can be

used reliably in weather now casting

and climatologically studies.

Lightning Density

June 2009 – May 2010

Stroke density by the LDS of MMD

July 2009 – June 2010

Worldwide lightning

strike by satellite base

optical sensors.

Unit: flashes/km2/yr

PART III

LIGHTNING DISTRIBUTION

IN

PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

Lightning and the

Malaysian Climate

• lightning in the Peninsular coincide

with the weather pattern of the

Malaysian climateMalaysian climate

CG over the Peninsular

• most lightning occur

during the inter-monsoon

• months with the least

lightning are December,

January & February

corresponding to the NE

Monsoon

• CG+ makes up 23% of CG

Month CG+ CG- Total (CG) CG+/CG

Jun-09 97295 303129 400424 0.24

Jul-09 73965 227632 301597 0.25

Aug-09 89527 299955 389482 0.23

Sep-09 79125 245585 324710 0.24

Oct-09 148822 468439 617261 0.24

Nov-09 40588 168470 209058 0.19

Dec-09 37397 121838 159235 0.23

Jan-10 41243 135500 176743 0.23

Feb-10 43215 119326 162541 0.27

Mar-10 76290 209291 285581 0.27

CG from Jun 2009 - M ay 2011

0

100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

700000

Jun-09 Aug-09 Oct-09 Dec-09 Feb-10 Apr-10 Jun-10 Aug-10 Oct-10 Dec-10 Feb-11 Apr-11

Month

Nu

mb

er

• CG+ makes up 23% of CGApr-10 120942 388787 509729 0.24

May-10 93846 328776 422622 0.22

Jun-10 76866 255445 332311 0.23

Jul-10 72206 247423 319629 0.23

Aug-10 56630 193599 250229 0.23

Sep-10 53866 215529 269395 0.20

Oct-10 69654 246451 316105 0.22

Nov-10 43179 191249 234428 0.18

Dec-10 27168 93303 120471 0.23

Jan-11 27337 84978 112315 0.24

Feb-11 24230 76170 100400 0.24

Mar-11 52703 167166 219869 0.24

Apr-11 53842 199957 253799 0.21

May-11 141226 456508 597734 0.24

Total: 147247 1232177 1379424 0.23

IC & CG Lightning

• % of Intra-cloud to total lightning = 90%

(417966/417966 + 46672)

Lightning Count

IC CG

Date Day Night Total Day Night Total

15/6/09 677 296 973 205 39 244

16/7/09 6 201 207 1 5 6

15/8/09 44869 5104 49973 5571 366 5937

15/9/09 8417 698 9115 1536 65 1601

15/10/09 23368 8585 31953 2901 1411 4312

15/11/09 6716 7629 14345 646 500 1146

15/12/09 5382 20989 26371 418 1056 1474

15/1/10 1 33 34 0 1 1

15/2/10 6 2 8 2 7 9

15/3/10 2297 255 2552 425 52 47715/3/10 2297 255 2552 425 52 477

15/4/10 14038 347 14385 1215 52 1267

15/5/10 3270 1426 4696 632 355 987

15/6/10 6215 75 6290 1180 11 1191

15/7/10 13904 1184 15088 2670 371 3041

15/8/10 11330 3128 14458 1891 257 2148

15/9/10 17529 199 17728 1902 9 1911

15/10/10 17 111 128 0 2 2

15/11/10 25965 245 26210 2637 78 2715

15/12/10 5328 2991 8319 413 51 464

15/1/11 2086 886 2972 461 129 590

15/2/11 25584 8517 34101 1965 363 2328

15/3/11 14950 3784 18734 1189 531 1720

15/4/11 39528 18766 58294 1993 919 2912

15/5/11 57048 3984 61032 9509 680 10189

Total 328531 89435 417966 39362 7310 46672

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

Strokes

Total of Lightning Count on the 15th of every

Month from June 2009 to May 2009

IC Day IC Night CG Day CG Night

Lightning Day & NightDay

Date Land_EC Sea_EC Land_WC Sea_WC

IC CG IC CG IC CG IC CG

15/06/2009 214 26 99 59 618 94 1228 222

16/07/2009 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0

15/08/2009 3183 741 397 350 16538 3158 195 17

15/09/2009 1428 1278 43 7 5680 825 6263 1622

15/10/2009 4291 946 18 3 10122 1612 4498 540

15/11/2009 131 41 0 2 6855 693 704 56

15/12/2009 1457 107 0 0 12976 1930 286 22

15/01/2010 0 0 0 0 3 0 412 55

15/02/2010 0 0 0 0 22 1 1 2

15/03/2010 0 2 0 1 4640 664 350 15

• Lightning is more frequent

over land during the day

• Lightning is less frequent

over the sea during the day

15/03/2010 0 2 0 1 4640 664 350 15

15/04/2010 46 4 178 103 15325 1312 2654 314

15/05/2010 68 127 65 19 754 30 19 0

15/06/2010 350 300 81 47 2442 304 1497 209

15/07/2010 975 479 26 65 3582 445 3691 815

15/08/2010 541 93 4 2 7819 1183 249 11

15/09/2010 2267 240 135 2 6613 804 990 62

15/10/2010 6 1 0 0 9 0 2 0

15/11/2010 254 147 385 500 31483 2978 10460 788

15/12/2010 2514 386 1 0 4534 358 449 50

15/01/2011 0 1 0 0 2627 448 1283 336

15/02/2011 357 122 17 17 17730 1515 2239 92

15/03/2011 249 28 2 1 15115 1334 1233 21

15/04/2011 20 38 0 0 25944 1880 241 67

15/05/2011 1899 671 142 221 40473 7199 1805 467

Total 20251 5779 1593 1400 231905 28767 40749 5783

Land_EC Land_WC

Sea_EC Sea_WC

Lightning Day & NightNight

Date Land_EC Sea_EC Land_WC Sea_WC

IC CG IC CG IC CG IC CG

15/06/2009 0 8 100 132 1282 91 3434 729

16/07/2009 0 1 0 1 244 1 1032 33

15/08/2009 2 4 0 1 6950 425 40660 6957

15/09/2009 9 1 0 3 1885 93 9437 2007

15/10/2009 2621 722 4091 1848 5466 202 16479 2347

15/11/2009 0 1 0 0 371 3 4346 965

15/12/2009 0 1 0 1 7738 747 3654 337

15/01/2010 0 1 0 0 59 1 952 188

15/02/2010 1 0 0 0 2 3 576 201

15/03/2010 0 3 0 0 1145 35 12216 1776

• Lightning is more frequent

over the sea during the

night15/03/2010 0 3 0 0 1145 35 12216 1776

15/04/2010 8 4 10 3 1040 64 6806 496

15/05/2010 40 23 38 54 84 4 1 2

15/06/2010 35 14 192 114 342 6 3674 243

15/07/2010 1329 737 909 975 1620 55 21122 3836

15/08/2010 15 0 1 1 1335 59 1412 309

15/09/2010 2 1 3 2 232 5 419 33

15/10/2010 2 2 2462 757 9 1 438 59

15/11/2010 0 5 1 1 734 57 15065 2045

15/12/2010 9 3 3 1 4977 56 59096 3030

15/01/2011 14 2 0 0 787 124 6470 1986

15/02/2011 2 2 0 1 9510 436 2830 547

15/03/2011 0 5 3 2 4809 566 35152 5357

15/04/2011 1 2 0 1 18991 870 23470 2303

15/05/2011 591 49 13 16 848 202 7519 2224

Total 4681 1591 7826 3914 70460 4106 276260 38010

• Lightning is less frequent

over land during the night

Average Strokes per Flash

in the Peninsular

• From queries made to the database, the number of flashes and strokes from 1.5.09 00:00:00 to 30.4.11 23:59:59 are 4479448 and 7104347 23:59:59 are 4479448 and 7104347 respectively.

• The average strokes per flash is 7104347/4479448

= 1.59

Current DistributionMay 2009 – September 2009 October 2009

November 2009 – March 2010 April 2010

Current Distribution May 2010 – September 2010 October 2010

November 2010 – March 2011 April 2010

Current Distribution

May 2009 – April 2011• lightning is mostly in the range of

-5kA to -25kA

• There are more lightning during the SW

Monsoon (May – Sep) than during the NE

Monsoon (Nov – Mar)Monsoon (Nov – Mar)

• Although less during the NE Monsoon, they

are stronger, mostly in the 15kA - 25kA

range compared to that during the SW

Monsoon

• The Inter Monsoon period (April & October)

is characterized by frequent and strong

lightning

Keraunic Level

Thunderstorm day/year

Keraunic level by the LDS of MMD

Year 2010

World lightning map

Lightning Density

July 2009 – June 2010

Stroke density by the LDS of MMD

Year 2010

Worldwide lightning

strike by satellite base

optical sensors.

Unit: flashes/km2/yr

Lightning Density

June 2009 – May 2010

Jun 2009 Jul 2009 Aug 2009 Sep 2009

Oct 2009 Nov 2009 Dec 2009 Jan 2010

Feb 2010 Mar 2010 Apr 2010 May 2010

Lightning Density

June 2009 – May 2010

Jun 2010 Jul 2010 Aug 2010 Sep 2010

Oct 2010 Nov 2010 Dec 2010 Jan 2011

Feb 2011 Mar 2011 Apr 2011 May 2011

Lightning Density Map

• Klang valley has the most

lightning in the Peninsular

• more lightning occurs on land along the mountain ranges due to the influence of sea breeze

• higher lightning activities from April • higher lightning activities from April to October in the Strait of Malacca (Sumatras)

• fewer lightning activities in the east coast during the NE-monsoon

• more lightning activities in the east coast during the SW-monsoon

The End

&&

Thank You