Measurements from inside Hurricane Ian Using a Mobile Instrumentation Network

Abstract To enhance the understanding of hurricane electrification and hazards, an unprecedented assortment of instruments which include a mobile Lightning Mapping Array (LMA), a mobile research radar, sounding units, and four mobile mesonets were used to collect in situ measurements during the landfall of Hurricane Ian (2022). In particular, this was the first-ever targeted research effort to use a mobile LMA for a landfalling hurricane to record the 3D structure of lightning flashes before and after landfall in both the eyewall and surrounding rainbands. Contained within this paper, we describe the deployment in detail and provide a first look at the observed data collected. Observations of the total 3D lightning inside a hurricane in combination with frequent soundings and mobile radar help provide context to how and why certain areas of a hurricane become electrified and have the potential to be used operationally to monitor severe convection and intensity changes in hurricanes. The data collected from Hurricane Ian will be useful for a better understanding of the long-term lightning trends in hurricanes. Significance Statement A targeted network of mobile measurements was used to monitor a hurricane, including mobile radar, mesonets, and soundings, with the addition of a mobile Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) network to map the 3D structure and propagation of lightning inside hurricanes. Notably, this is the first use of targeted mobile LMA measurements taken during a hurricane, helping to monitor hurricane evolution in a new way. The system sampled was Hurricane Ian, a category 5 hurricane that caused devastating damage and loss of life across several states. A more in-depth understanding of the environment and electrification of Ian could help in future representation and prediction of hurricane hazards surrounding landfall.