Abstract:With the data from lightning location system in Anhui province from 2008 to 2011, this paper mainly analyzes the distribution features of lightning in Anhui. Findings can be summarized as follow: (1) Most of lightnings in Anhui province mainly occurrs in July and August, whose polarity is almost negative(93%). (2) A difference exists between the northern and southern Anhui. Lightning frequency and current strength in the south is higher than those in the north, whereas the proportion of positive lightning in the north is higher than that in the south. Combined with the sounding data in Fuyang and Anqing, seven atmospheric instability parameters are selected for the further analysis:such as lifted index, convective available potential energy, average relative humidity from 700 to 400 hPa, pseudo-equivalent potential temperature at 700 hPa, temperature range between 850 and 500 hPa, Showalter index and K-index. The relationship between these atmospheric instability parameters and lightning activities is analyzed and the instable threshold of lightning is confirmed within 6 h after the releasing of the sounding balloon (within 0.5° latitude range around Fuyang and Anqing stations),which all provide a foundation for lightning forecasting.