INTRODUCTION
The impact of space weather on low atmospheric layers is a great problem. It is important to determine the contribution of space weather to lightning activity, ignoring tropospheric processes [Rycroft, 2014]. Obser-vations in different regions over the world show diverse but certain influence of solar activity on lightning activi-ty. As inferred from regular satellite monitoring over South Asia and Southeast Asia, the lightning activity was in antiphase with solar activity from 2000 to 2010 [Siingh et al., 2013]. The negative correlation between
lightning activity and solar activity was also found in [Pinto Neto et al., 1998; Raspopov et al, 2010]. One of the probable processes is solar modulation of galactic cosmic rays, which influence cloud formation. This assumption is confirmed by different long-term observations showing positive feedback between lightning activity variations and galactic cosmic ray flux [Chronis, 2009; Ajieva et al, 2010]. Another effect space weather has on the lightning rate is suggested in [Owens et al, 2014; Scott et al, 2014]. Basing on observations of lightning activity made over Great Britain during 6 years, they have found a lightning rate response to the fast solar wind. Arrival of the high-speed stream in Earth also coincides with a small (∼1 %) but rapid decrease in the galactic cosmic ray flux, a moderate (∼6 %) increase in lower energy solar energetic protons (SEPs), and a substantial, statistically significant increase in lightning rates. Also, the significant increase or decrease in the lightning rate and thunder days was found to be consistent with changes of the heliospheric magnetic field polarity. Another probable process of solar modulation of lightning rate is the impact on the global electric circuit and through it on thunderstorms [Harrison et al, 2010].
The object of this study is to estimate the correlation of lightning activity spatial-temporal distribution with solar activity at midlatitudes in northern Asia
