Lightning-ignited wildfires and long continuing current lightning in the Mediterranean Basin: preferential meteorological conditions

Abstract. Lightning is the major cause of natural ignition wildfires worldwide and produces largest in some regions. strokes produce about 5 % forest fires Mediterranean Basin are one most important precursors during summer. Lightning-ignited significant emissions aerosols, black carbon, trace gases, such as CO, SO2, CH4, O3, affecting air quality. Characterization meteorological cloud conditions lightning-ignited can serve to improve fire forecasting models upgrade implementation atmospheric models. This study investigates (LIWs) long continuing current (LCC) lightning flashes Iberian Peninsula Greece. LCC dry thunderstorms with a low precipitation rate have been proposed be main wildfires. We use data provided by World Wide Location Network (WWLLN), Earth Networks Total (ENTLN), Imaging Sensor (LIS) on board International Space Station (ISS), together four databases produced Spain, Portugal, southern France, Greece, respectively, order climatology LIWs over Basin. In addition, we European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) ERA5 reanalysis set Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), Cloud Top Height product (CTHP) derived from Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellites measurements investigate lightning. According our results, amount tend occur weak updrafts. Our results suggest that clouds high base vertical content moisture lower than climatological value, well higher temperature rate. Greece agreement, although differences possibly caused highly variable topography more humid environment observed. These show possibility using typical proxy parameterize or