Abstract
Usually, Lightning is accompanied with thunderstorms; lighting
is very spectacular and hazard phenomena, which need to be
investigated before it happens. Recent global meteorological and
climatologically changes have been taken through out the world
due to many phenomena as well human actions. These metrological
changes have led to the development of many thunderstorms over
Saudi Arabia in general and in specific to the areas that were
known with low Isokeraunic level
(number of thunderstorms days per year) such as the western
portion of the Kingdom.
Worldwide, lightning thunderstorms accounts for most of the
power supply interruptions in power lines. In the U.S.A. alone,
an estimated 30% of all electric power outages related to
lightning every year, with total costs approaching one billion
dollars. This includes equipment damaged, loss of lives etc…
during thunderstorms. In most area of the world, an indication
of lightning activity may be obtained from
Iskruanic data (thunderstorm days per year) Maps.
KACST have supported the development of new annual thunder day
maps for Saudi Arabia through a grant to EE department KFUPM.
Based on these maps, the distribution and frequency of
thunderstorms over the country analyzed. Thunderstorm days (TD)
in different areas of Saudi Arabia specifically those where
lightning strikes are more likely to occur has been determined.
The Presidency of Metrology and Environment (PME) base the
results of what established in this paper on data and records
available on lightning incidence in Saudi Arabia.
The
recent heavy thunderstorms development come about during the
1425 Hajj season, need to be carefully evaluated and assessed
for many reasons, mainly for the safety of pilgrimages.
The Hajj season proscribed by the lunar
system, which makes it happen in different climate season, which
is based on Gregorian calendar.
Presidency of Metrology and Environment (PME), which has been
established since 1951 do make records and data, bases of
different climatology and metrology parameters for weather and
environment in Saudi Arabia. Only weather information can be
observed on-line at many locations of the Kingdom. The PME has
no on-line thunderstorms and lighting detection network, by
which it can predict the development and characteristics of
lightning as well as send warning to surrounding inhabitable
places about the approaching of severe lighting thunderstorms.
This
paper presents using Arc View GIS software new developed maps to
indicate the thunderstorm days distribution all over the
Kingdom, it also presents layout early warning for thunderstorms
on-line detection network system that may assist pilgrimages
during the Hajj and Umrah periods
for more lives safety, and other safety warnings.
