Formation of thunderclouds in a region of high lightning incidence, inferred from AWS, ceilometer and an electric field mill

Satellite data and data from the recent studies on spatial and temporal distribution of lightning occurrence have shown that Kerala state in India has relatively more thunderstorm activity. As the Western Ghats are instrumental in formation of thunderclouds, an investigation was carried out at a mountain filed station using a Ceilomter, an electric Filed mill and an Automatic Weather Station (AWS). The data collected show that the existence of strong updrafts followed by the formation of lower level clouds seems to be the characteristics of mountain weather during thunderstorm months. The result answers to a large extent the question regarding the cause for relatively high lightning in Kerala.