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In summer 2015, atmospheric scientists participating in the Plains Elevated Convection at Night project (PECAN) fanned out across the Great Plains in an effort to better understand the atmospheric conditions that lead to storm formation and evolution after sunset. Results gleaned from this research may ultimately help improve forecasts of these sometimes damaging storms.
The project, which is largely funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), involved scientists, students and support staff from eight research labs and 14 universities. Pictured here is a cloud-to-ground lightning strike during a nighttime thunderstorm in the Midwest.Image credit: Jacob DeFlitch, Meteorologist
