Lightning in tropical cyclones

One way to measure the intensity of convective activity in tropical cyclones is through the detection of lightning. My work has focused on trying to determine if lightning activity, as a proxy for deep convection, has the potential to aid tropical cyclone intensity forecasts by signaling future intensity change. Supported by NASA and UCAR COMET grants, my current research involves quantifying the effects of inner core lightning bursts on storm intensity, as well as exploring the physical mechanisms by which lightning in the outer rainbands is correlated with tropical cyclone intensification.

Secondary eyewall formation (SEF)

In recent years, a number of hypotheses have been proposed for SEF with the most substantive difference among them being the relative roles of internal dynamics and external, environmental forcing. To explore the physical processes responsible for SEF, an ensemble Kalman filter approach is combined with the full physics, NCAR Advanced Hurricane WRF Model to generate forecasts of hurricanes which underwent well-documented SEFs and eyewall replacement cycles. My research has documented the important role of vortex Rossby waves and convectively active outer rainbands in SEF.

Predictability of heavy rainfall events

The occurrence and prediction of high-impact precipitation events in the Northeastern United States associated with tropical moisture sources, including landfalling tropical cyclones, remnant tropical cyclone moisture, and atmospheric rivers, represents a major forecast challenge to the National Weather Service. Supported by a NOAA CSTAR grant, this project applies ensemble-based sensitivity techniques to GFS and WRF model ensemble forecasts to determine how initial condition and/or forecast errors at earlier lead times are associated with quantitative precipitation forecast and precipitation structural uncertainty at later lead times.

Other research interests: (click on topic for more information)

~ Hurricane Elena (1985)

~ Eastern North Pacific tropical cyclones and the North American Monsoon

~ WRF simulations of Atlantic Basin tropical cyclones

~ Verifying thunderstorm occurrence with the NLDN

Publications: (click on title for PDF)

Refereed

Piersante, J. O., K. L. Corbosiero, and R. G. Fovell, 2023: Simulated diurnal pulses in Hurricane Dorian (2019). Mon. Wea. Rev., 151, 2869-2882.

Rivera-Torres, N., K. L. Corbosiero, and B. H. Tang, 2023: Factors associated with the downshear reformation of tropical cyclones. Mon. Wea. Rev. 151, 2717–2737.

Filipiak, B. C., N. Bassill, K. L. Corbosiero, A. L. Lang, and R. A. Lazear, 2023: Probabilistic forecasting methods of winter mixed precipitation events in New York State utilizing a random forest. Art. Intell. Earth Sys., doi.org/10.1175/AIES-D-22-0080.1. 

Chen, X., C. Rozoff, R. Rogers, K. Corbosiero, D. Tao, J.–F. Gu, F. Judt, E. Hendricks, Y. Wang, M. Bell, D. Stern, K. Musgrave, J. Knaff, and J. Kaplan, 2023: Research advances on internal processes affecting tropical cyclone intensity change from 2018–2022. Trop. Cyc. Res. Rev., 12, 10–29.

Zhang, X., S. S. Ditchek, K. L. Corbosiero, and W. Xu, 2023: Global and regional characteristics of radially outward propagating tropical cyclone diurnal pulses. J. Geophys. Res. Atmospheres, 128, e2022JD037660. 

Fischer, M. S., P. D. Reasor, B. H. Tang, K. L. Corbosiero, R. D Torn, and X. Chen, 2022: A tale of two vortex evolutions: Using a high-resolution ensemble to assess the impacts of ventilation on a tropical cyclone rapid intensification event. Mon. Wea. Rev.,151, 298–320.

Schultz, D. M., J. Anderson, T. Benacchio, K. L. Corbosiero, M. D. Eastin, C. Evans, J. Gao, J. P. Hacker, D. Hodyss, D. Kleist, M. R. Kumjian, R. McTaggart-Cowan, Z. Meng, J. Minder, D. Posselt, P. Roundy, A. Rowe, M. Scheuerer, R. S. Schumacher, S. Trier, C. Weiss, 2022: How to be a more effective author. Mon. Wea. Rev., 150, 2819–2892.

Alland, J. J., B. H. Tang, K. L. Corbosiero, and G. H. Bryan, 2021a: Combined effects of midlevel dry air and vertical wind shear on tropical cyclone development. Part I: Downdraft ventilation. J. Atmos. Sci., 78, 763-782.

Alland, J. J., B. H. Tang, K. L. Corbosiero, and G. H. Bryan, 2021b: Combined effects of midlevel dry air and vertical wind shear on tropical cyclone development. Part II: Radial ventilation. J. Atmos. Sci., 78, 783-796.

Smith, M. B., R. Torn, K. Corbosiero, and P. Pegion, 2020: Ensemble variability in rainfall forecasts of Hurricane Irene (2011). Wea. Forecasting, 35, 1761-1780.

Ditchek, S. D., K. L. Corbosiero, R. G. Fovell, and J. Molinari, 2020: Electrically-active pulses in Hurricane Harvey (2017). Mon. Wea. Rev., 148, 2283-2305.

Schultz, D. M., A. Aksoy, J. Anderson, T. Benacchio, K. L. Corbosiero, M. D. Eastin, C. Evans, J. Gao, A. Gassmann, J. P. Hacker, D. Hodyss, M. R. Kumjian, R. McTaggart-Cowan, G. Romine, P. Roundy, A. Rowe, E. Satterfield, R. S. Schumacher, S. Trier, C. Weiss, H. P. Huntington, and G. M. Lackmann, 2020: Data availability principles and practice. Mon. Wea. Rev., 148, 4701–4702.

Tymochko, S., E. Munch, J. Dunion, K. Corbosiero, and R. Torn, 2020: Using persistent homology to quantify a diurnal cycle in hurricanes. Patt. Recogn. Lett., 133, 137-143.

Nelson, T. C., L. Harrison, and K. L. Corbosiero, 2020: Temporal and spatial autocorrelations from eXpendable Digital Dropsondes (XDDs) in tropical cyclones. J. tmos. Oceanic Technol., 37, 381-399.

Fischer, M. S., B. H. Tang, and K. L. Corbosiero, 2019: A climatological analysis of tropical cyclone rapid intensification in environments of upper-tropospheric troughs. Mon Wea. Rev., 147, 3693-3719.

Ditchek, S. D., K. L. Corbosiero, R. G. Fovell, and J. Molinari, 2019b: Electrically-active tropical cyclone diurnal pulses in the Atlantic basin. Mon. Wea. Rev., 147, 3595-3607.

Nelson, T. C., L. Harrison, and K. L. Corbosiero, 2019: Convective asymmetries as measured by eXpendable Digital Dropsondes (XDDs) in tropical cyclones. Mon Wea. Rev., 147, 2367-2386.

Ditchek, S. D., J. Molinari, K. L. Corbosiero, and R. G Fovell, 2019a: An objective climatology of tropical cyclone diurnal pulses in the Atlantic basin. Mon. Wea. Rev., 147, 591-605.

Fischer, M. S., B. H. Tang, K. L. Corbosiero, and C. M. Rozoff, 2018: Normalized convective characteristics of tropical cyclone rapid intensification events in the North Atlantic and eastern North Pacific. Mon. Wea. Rev., 146, 1133-1155.

Stevenson, S. N., K. L. Corbosiero, M. DeMaria, and J. L. Vigh, 2018: A 10-year survey of tropical inner-core lightning bursts and their relationship to intensity change. Wea. Forecasting, 33, 23-36.

Evans, C., K. M. Wood, S. D. Aberson, H. M. Archambault, S. M. Milrad, L. F. Bosart, K. L. Corbosiero, C. A. Davis, J. R. Dias Pinto, J. Doyle, C. Fogarty, T. J. Galarneau, Jr., C. M. Grams, K. S. Griffin, J. Gyakum, R. E. Hart, N. Kitabatake, H. S. Lentink, R. McTaggart-Cowan, W. Perrie, J. F. D. Quinting, C. A. Reynolds, M. Riemer, E. Ritchie, Y. Sun, and F. Zhang. 2017: The extratropical transition of tropical cyclones. Part I: Cyclone evolution and direct impacts. Mon. Wea. Rev., 145, 4317-4344.

Ditchek, S. D., T. C. Nelson, M. Rosenmayer, and K. L. Corbosiero, 2017: The relationship between tropical cyclones at genesis and their maximum attained intensity. J. Climate, 30, 4897-4913.

Alland, J., B. H. Tang, and K. L. Corbosiero, 2017: Effects of dry air aloft on the development of the tropical cyclone secondary circulation. J. Atmos. Sci., 74, 1455-1470.

Bu, Y. P., R. Fovell, and K. L. Corbosiero, 2017: The influences of boundary layer mixing and cloud-radiative forcing on tropical cyclone size. J. Atmos. Sci., 74, 1273-1292.

Fischer, M. S., B. H. Tang, and K. L. Corbosiero, 2017: Assessing the influence of upper-tropospheric troughs on tropical cyclone intensification rates after genesis. Mon. Wea. Rev., 145, 1295-1313.

Tang, B., R. Rios-Berrios, J. Alland, J. Berman, and K. L. Corbosiero, 2016b: Sensitivity of axisymmetric tropical cyclone spin-up to dry air aloft. J. Atmos. Sci., 73, 4269-4287.

Peirano, C. M., K. L. Corbosiero, and B. H. Tang, 2016: Revisiting trough interactions and tropical cyclone intensity change. Geophys. Res. Lett., 43, doi: 10.1002/2016GL069040.

Fovell, R. G., Y. P. Bu, K. L. Corbosiero, W.-W. Ten, Y. Cao, H.-C. Kuo, L.-H. Hsu, and H. Su, 2016: Influence of cloud microphysics and radiation on tropical cyclone structure and motion: A review., Meteorol. Monographs, 56, 11.1-11.27.

Tang, B., M. Vaughan, R. Lazear, K. Corbosiero, L. F. Bosart, T. A. Wasula, I. R. Lee, and K. S. Lipton, 2016a: Topographic and boundary influences on 22 May 2014 Duanesburg, New York, tornadic supercell. Wea. Forecasting, 31, 107-127.

Stevenson, S. N., K. L. Corbosiero, and S. F. Abarca, 2016: Lightning in eastern North Pacific tropical cyclones: A comparison to the North Atlantic. Mon. Wea. Rev., 144, 225-239.    (Corrigendum)

Stevenson, S. N., K. L. Corbosiero, and J. Molinari, 2014: The convective evolution and rapid intensification of Hurricane Earl (2010). Mon. Wea. Rev., 142, 4363-4380.

Bu, Y. P., R. Fovell, and K. L. Corbosiero, 2014: Influence of cloud-radiative forcing on tropical cyclone structure. J. Atmos. Sci., 71, 1644-1662.

Cao, Y., R. G. Fovell, and K. L. Corbosiero, 2011: Tropical cyclone track sensitivity to initialization in idealized simulations: A preliminary study. Terr. Atmos. Ocean. Sci., 22, 559-578.

Abarca, S. F., and K. L. Corbosiero, 2011: Secondary eyewall formation in WRF simulations of hurricanes Rita and Katrina (2005). Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L07802, doi:10.1029/2011GL047015.

Abarca, S. F., K. L. Corbosiero, and D. Vollaro, 2011: The World Wide Lightning Location Network and convective activity in tropical cyclones. Mon. Wea. Rev., 139, 175-191.

Abarca, S. F., K. L. Corbosiero, and T. J. Galarneau, Jr., 2010: An evaluation of the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) using the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) as ground truth. J. Geophys. Res., 115, D18206, doi:10.1029/2009JD013411.

Fovell, R. G., K. L. Corbosiero, A. Seifert, and K. N. Liou, 2010: Impact of cloud-radiative processes on hurricane track. Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L07808, doi:10.1029/2010GL042691.

Fovell, R. G., K. L. Corbosiero, and H.-C. Kuo, 2009: Cloud microphysics impact on hurricane track as revealed in idealized experiments. J. Atmos. Sci., 66, 1764-1778.

Corbosiero, K. L., M. J. Dickinson, and L. F. Bosart, 2009: The contribution of eastern North Pacific tropical cyclones to the warm season rainfall climatology of the southwest United States. Mon. Wea. Rev., 137, 2415-2435.

Davis, C., W. Wang, S. S. Chen, Y. Chen, K. Corbosiero, M. DeMaria, J. Dudhia, G. Holland, J. Klemp, J. Michalakes, H. Reeves, R. Rotunno, and Q. Xiao, 2008: Prediction of landfalling hurricanes with the Advanced Hurricane WRF Model. Mon. Wea. Rev., 136, 1990-2005.

Molinari, J., P. Dodge, D. Vollaro, K. L. Corbosiero, and F. D. Marks, Jr., 2006: Mesoscale aspects of the downshear reformation of a tropical cyclone. J. Atmos. Sci., 63, 341-354.

Corbosiero, K. L., J. Molinari, A. R. Aiyyer, and M. L. Black, 2006: The structure and evolution of Hurricane Elena (1985). Part II: Convective asymmetries and evidence for vortex Rossby waves. Mon. Wea. Rev., 134, 3073-3091.

Corbosiero, K. L., J. Molinari, and M. L. Black, 2005: The structure and evolution of Hurricane Elena (1985). Part I: Symmetric intensification. Mon. Wea. Rev., 133, 2905-2921.

Molinari, J., D. Vollaro, and K. L. Corbosiero, 2004: Tropical cyclone formation in a sheared environment: A case study. J. Atmos. Sci., 61, 2493-2509.

Corbosiero, K. L., and J. Molinari, 2003: The relationship between storm motion, vertical wind shear, and convective asymmetries in tropical cyclones. J. Atmos. Sci., 60, 366-376.

Corbosiero, K. L., and J. Molinari, 2002: The effect of vertical wind shear on the distribution of convection in tropical cyclones. Mon. Wea. Rev., 130, 2110-2123.

Other

Corbosiero, K. L., 2004: The structure and evolution of a hurricane in vertical wind shear: Hurricane Elena (1985). Preprints of the 26th Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, American Meteorological Society, 90-91.

Corbosiero, K. L., 2002: The relationship between storm motion, vertical wind shear, and convective asymmetries in tropical cyclones. Preprints of the 25th Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, American Meteorological Society, 321-322.

Corbosiero, K. L., J. Molinari, and L. Bosart, 2001: The distribution of convective precipitation in tropical cyclones after landfall. Preprints of the 81st Annual Meeting of the American Meteorological Society, Symposium on Precipitation Extremes: Prediction, Impacts, and Responses, American Meteorological Society, 350-351.

Corbosiero, K. L., 2000: Convective asymmetries in tropical cyclones. Preprints of the 24th Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, American Meteorological Society, 410-411.

Corbosiero, K. L., 1999: Lightning in hurricanes. Preprints of the 23rd Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, American Meteorological Society, 66-67.