Abstract:Herein, we compare the primary simulation differences when considering the electric field effect (EFE) in the 3D dynamic-electric coupling numerical cloud model, wherein EFE was introduced into the thermodynamic equations and falling velocities of different hydrometeors. In the EFE calculations, owing to weak initial electrical activity, the dynamical field and precipitation intensity changed only slightly. With enhanced electrical activity, the updraft and downdraft speeds increased and the precipitation intensity exhibited both increase and decrease periods, whereas the total precipitation increased only slightly. Additionally, the amount of lightning nearly doubled, and it was generated earlier and lasted longer; hence, its feedback effect cannot be ignored. The results show that the peaks of the hail and graupel particles’ grid-scale mass-weighted instantaneous falling velocities were 10 m s-1 and 7 m s-1, respectively. Because of the narrow range of the strong electrical field and the direct transient effect on particles of the electric field force, the maximum falling velocities of hydrometeors only fluctuate slightly, but differences in the falling velocities are more obvious among small-size particles. By controlling the hydrometeor falling velocities, the electric field changes the particles’ primary production, increases the production rates of raindrops and ice crystals, decreases the production rates of graupel and hail, adjusts the spatiotemporal distributions of the vapor liquid and solid state hydrometeors, increases water vapor by 9% and latent heating by 7%, and provides internal energy for the further development of thunder clouds.