High altitude leaders mapped by the Colombia lightning mapping array

Abstract

On April 2015 a Lightning Mapping Array network (COL-LMA) was installed at the north of Colombia. This network provides 3D mapping of the development of lightning leaders. For the first time such network has been setup in the tropics. That allows us to investigate the high altitude development of lightning leaders. Here we present the results of the first measurements to confirm that negative leaders at altitudes of 15 km are common in the observed thunderstorms.