Observed impact of land uses and soil types on cloud-to-ground lightning in Castilla-Leon (Spain)

• The relationship of land use and soil types on CG-lightning activity is studied.
• An index was designed to filter out the effects associated by each category.
• Forest and shrubland were the categories of land uses where CG-lightning increases.
• Rendzinas (soil types) were associated with an increase in CG-lightning activity.
• The influence of vegetation on surface moisture is the main effect on CG-lightning.

The impact of land use on lightning activity has mainly been studied for urban areas; however the number of authors addressing the impact of vegetation on lightning is fairly limited. The relationship of different types of land use and soil (thirteen categories of land use and fourteen major soil types were considered) on cloud-to-ground lightning activity was studied in the Spanish region of Castilla-León from 2000 to 2010. To do this, urban, mining, and industrial areas were found to be associated with enhanced CG-lightning activity. With respect to natural land uses, forest and shrubland were the categories where CG-lightning was seen to be increased. By contrast, non-agricultural vegetated areas and pastures displayed the lowest CG-lightning activity. When the major soil types are considered, rendzinas, podzols, and phaeozems were found to be associated with a slight increase in CG-lightning activity and gleysols and solonchaks seem to decrease it. Assuming there are a plethora of factors which can indirectly affect the charging electromicrophysics and cloud dynamics, the authors provide evidence that soil type shows a significant correlation on CG-lightning flash density and weather characteristics are affected by land uses. It is suggested that the influence of vegetation and soil on surface moisture is one of the main effects contributing to explain the impact of land cover on CG-lightning.