Characteristics of cloud-to-ground and intracloud lightning over Beijing

Lightning is a natural electric discharge phenomenon consisting of cloud-to-ground (CG) and intracloud (IC) flashes, and accounts for many human casualties and significant property damage worldwide every year. Lightning activity is closely associated with severe convective events, such as the 21 July 2012 torrential rainfall event in the Beijing Metropolitan Region (BMR). The study of lightning statistical characteristics is of great importance for lightning protection and thunderstorm forecast.