Cloudbuster

Second cell about to roll in, First one now cleared to the NE, contained some good GC. This cell does not seem quite so active. I was in Paris Yesturday and just "got out" before the airport was closed!! The CB's were huge, completely filling our weather radar with red (nasty) returns. Mod rain now, yes, this cell not so active.

Hi everyone, good morning OK west mid's, Large thunderstome close by, increasing lightning and some very loud thunder, in fact it's right overhead listening tho the last rumble, now raining. Enjoy!!

Have rain and thunder in West Midlands (M5J2)

I have flown around most of the UK today, looked a lot quieter than recently. A few build ups over London and the SE plus a fair amount of activity in Scotland. However the place to be was Northern France, with lots of large Cb's. One large multicell Cb produced a radar return about 40*20 miles with very heavy rain lasting about 5min and several good CG. Thankfully it had blown away prior to my departure. No funny winds etc. Reference the severe weather over Europe yesturday, see the sat pictures; many of my colleuges reported the worst turbulence of there carreers flying through it! Reference the story of the lighnting strike on the aeroplane, they are not that uncommon and generally do only minor damage. Rapid changes in wind directions (windshear) and downdrafts, (microbursts) are much more dangerous if they occur near the ground.

Nimbostratus had all the rain here too. Rowley hills are about 7 miles SE of you. Have only just found the site. Suggested last thursday would be thundery at around 9.30 after experincing moderate medium level atmospheric instabilty first hand, however have not made any summer predictions.

Hi Nimbostratus, I am on the Rowley Hills, just off M5 J2, near to the twin radio masts. Have a great view across the West Midlands from N around to SSW. Could get the full 360 iff I went up the road a little. Have even watched a storm in Lincolnshire from the back off my house once! About 4 years ago a major storm caused some flash flooding in Wolverhampton and the news reported wolverhampton as being in tornado alley UK, though I have no other information about it; the theory sounds half sensible though. Just around the corner on the SW facing part of the hill we have a pub called "The Hailstone" which probably suggests the local terrain's influence on the weather!!!!

Hi Nimbostratus. I guess that you are just down the B4123 from me, my cell was heading off in your direction at last flash! I am affraid that it wasn't the most spectacular as it slipped passed me. Isn't Wolverhampton in "UK tornado alley" as storms get squezzed up the severn valley between the welsh borders and the lumpy bits in the midlands, Clent, Lickey Rowley hills, Cannock, Peak District etc ???????

West Midlands Cell Update Currently (21.50) over Dudley moving NNW at medium speed. 2 IC discharges / 5 min at present. For Info, UK Live lightning radar not showing this activity.!!!

Hi every one. After a day of very heavy showers, am now experiencing a thunderstorm in the West midlands. (M5 J2) Seen a couple of lightning flashes and thunder. Now the football is over will attempt to get some more details and update if neccessary, but seems to b e etting closer, 5s between last flas and rumble! :-) Was caught in a rain shower yesterday while N of Oxford (M40) that was one of the heaviest that I have ever driven through. Could not see the road surface or the car in front, very hazardous!!!!! Without consulting official records, this must be the most thundery Aug for at least the past 10 years, possible one of the most in the past 30?

There is a large cell passing over birmingham now. (16.15) Reasonable amount of air to Ground lightning. Good Storm front clouds ahead of the cell. Possible to observe the dowrnward movement of air within this cloud; sadly no rotation!! Looking clearer to the South now.

Cell Update Pretty decent size sell with heavy precipitation, and electrical activity has just passed directly over. (15.45 local) 3-4 lighting discharges per minute at peak with very loud thunder. Most lightning appears to be air to air, though some fork seen. Moving at a reasonable speed NW ( along the M6 North towards wolverhampton) Please note that the UK live lightning radar appears to show the activity slightly to far NW. Plenty more to come I think!!

Hello everyone New to the site and not sure what the best thread for reportong current observations are. I am in an elevated position in the West Midlands with a view from N around to SW. (M5 J2) Lots of convective activity observed over the passed hour. Sky now fairly grey, difficult to assess vertical activity because of amount of cloud. Increasing amounts of thunder heard over past half hour. Freq and volume; no lightning observed yet. Wind Increasing, currently Dry here at present, but raining over Birmingham. and headfing this way. Looks like a stormy afternoon in store.

Just taken a look out of my window (NE facing) which overlooks Birmingham. (14.30 local) There is a great deal of cu activity and against a mid grey sky is a line of developing cb's. They look most impressive, being brilliant white, and the upward growth can clearly be seen. No really big ones visible, but a lot of the lower growth disappears into the grey hazy sky. I have often experienced conditions like this that don't appear too spectacular on the ground, but once airborne with a change of perspective provide very large Cb's. General movement seems to be towards the N or NW. As suggested on the convective index maps, and noted during my early morning flight from scotland, there does indeed seem to be a good deal of atmospheric instability across the midlands today. Looking forward to seeing how they develop.