Sea Breeze Storms Generate Heavy Inland Downpouts

  • May 19, 2014

19 May 2014, 1730 UTC: A steady sea breeze caused thunderstorms to build across eastern Guinea this afternoon bringing rumbles of thunder to much of the region. The storms developed along the hills northeast of the coast near Forecariah, Fria and Boke.

PulseRad detects a very strong thunderstorm near Forecariah.
PulseRad detects a very strong thunderstorm near Forecariah.

The heaviest storms formed north and east of Boke and near Forecariah.

The Total Lightning Network shows the very intense storms north of Forecariah. Lightning rates exceeded 50 flashes per minute.
The Total Lightning Network shows the very intense storms north of Forecariah. Lightning rates exceeded 50 flashes per minute.

The storms were very slow moving, dropping between 25 and 50 mm of rainfall over their lifespan. The heaviest rainfall estimated by PulseRad was a very strong storm near Forecariah. Lightning rates exceeded 50 flashes per minute, as detected by the Guinea Total Lighting Network, for nearly 30 minutes as the storm drifted slowly NW toward Conakry. Rainfall estimates topped out over 100mm just north of the city.

Rainfall estimates from the PulseRad simulated radar show rainfall accumulations caused by the sea breeze storms.
Rainfall estimates from the PulseRad simulated radar show rainfall accumulations caused by the sea breeze storms.

Rainfall estimates on PulseRad show the typical sea breeze rainfall accumulations – storms develop from 30 to 80 km from the coast and rarely drift to the coast, dropping most of the rainfall on the hills that are inland from the coastal plain.

The very strong thunderstorm generated Dangerous Thunderstorm Alerts warning of frequent lightning and flood producing rains. This image shows the storm weakening as it moved toward Conakry.
The very strong thunderstorm generated Dangerous Thunderstorm Alerts warning for frequent lightning and flood producing rains. This image shows the storm weakening as it moved toward Conakry.