Analysis of the spatial and temporal distribution and changes of thunderstorms in southern Iran over the last three solar cycles

Thunderstorms, one of the most common and characteristic phenomena of convective systems, can cause severe damage and psychological impacts on individuals. In this study, thunderstorm-related codes from synoptic meteorological stations with complete records during each solar cycle were extracted from the dataset of the Iranian Meteorological Organization over a 33-year statistical period, corresponding to solar cycles 22, 23, and 24 (1986–2018). The Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) interpolation method was applied to illustrate the spatiotemporal variations of thunderstorms. The findings indicate that the frequency of thunderstorm events does not follow a regular pattern across solar cycles 22 to 24, with the highest occurrence observed during cycle 23. Overall, during the 33 years, 1997 recorded the highest number of thunderstorms, while the lowest occurred in 1990. In terms of spatial distribution, during the cold seasons, when Sudanese low-pressure systems are the dominant atmospheric pattern, the highest concentration of thunderstorm events was recorded at Bushehr station, with a decreasing trend toward the east and north. In contrast, the lowest frequencies were observed at Siri Island and Bandar Lengeh stations. The peak occurrences were reported in December and January, particularly at Bushehr during the cold months, whereas during summer, due to the influence of monsoon systems, a notable eastward shift in thunderstorm hotspots was evident, especially at Bandar Abbas, Lar, and Hajjiabad stations.