Supacell

Although generally the UK is more likely to see storms between April and September it is definitely not unheard of to see storms outside of these months. Infact, over previous years I have noticed October storms become more common and just last year we saw some big storm events in the month of October. With some models showing a very late season burst of heat next weekend it is certainly possible there could be more storms. Indeed, in the more reliable time frame we have a risk of storms. Tomorrow it looks as though a waving front through central parts will reinvigorate as warmer and more humid air is pulled northwards. This could allow thunderstorms to develop just to the south of the waving front, more especially later in the afternoon and then through the evening and night. I'm still not seeing total agreement as to whether anything will happen but its worth keeping an eye on. To see back on September, which was an active month for some, the old thread is over here: Keep chatting and discussing as we head through mid Autumn. Will there be any more storms?

I do have waterproofs but didn't have time to put them on as the storm was already coming in fast when I pulled up. So I got thoroughly drenched . It's part and parcel of the job though. I was very tired when I got home. I was diverted a couple of times trying to chase the storms that popped up around Oxfordshire. Never caught them, but resulted in me getting home at 5:30am

Here is my video from the storms on Sunday night

I imagine it was very similar conditions there as in Worthing. Standing under a shelter was no use in horizontal rain.

@sunnijim Thank you for the recommendation. One of the problems with travelling outside my normal radius is having no idea where the best viewpoints are. Thats why I tend to like the coast, as you can't fail to get at least a 180 view from there @Tamsin Indeed it ended up being much more widespread and spreading much further north than I anticipated. I think only the UKV model broke out widespread convection like what happened, but on an earlier run that was then replaced with a Kent clipper . The storm I saw is very likely the same storm that passed over you. It was fantastic for number of flashes and constant thunder. @Flash bang flash bang etc Your account sounds similar to mine, with the exception of being blasted by rain and wind. I too was unable to see much at the back end of the storm, although that was mainly because I had soaked trousers and trainers so had to spend sometime getting changed . As you say, storms then erupted further north and out of reach. Regarding a tornado in Littlehampton. The storms looked to be elevated and so I think a tornado is unlikely. I'm no expert but it was much more likely damage from straight line winds. Some of the gusts were quite ferocious as the storm came over.

In hindsight I probably travelled further than I needed to last night, but was it worth it? Initially I had headed down the M1 to the M25 with the idea to head east. With little consistency on the models I didn't really have a plan, although I was favouring somewhere like Essex or Kent. I therefore headed east and through the Dartford tunnel, by which time the Channel had come alive with sferics. The problem was, 90% of those sferics were in the mid Channel and I was headed towards the Eastern Channel. So I decided I was going to abandon the idea of Kent and headed westwards on the M25 with a new target of somewhere near Brighton. As I approached a sudden increase of lightning occurred to my northwest. A storm had broken out but as it was heading north it was moving away from me so I continued to the coast, eventually deciding on Worthing to be my target. The lightning detectors were showing an immense amount of lightning heading in there. As I arrived in Worthing I could see frequent flashes of lightning, but it took frustratingly long to reach the coast. Although in reality it was only about 5 minutes but I wanted to get there. When I did I got out of my car to a display of strobe lightning over the sea and a constant roar of thunder. I don't remember seeing such frequent lightning in the UK (maybe back on the storm of 17-18th July 2017). I saw no CGs at all, which was a little disappointing, but the spectacle of the constant lightning and thunder felt quite exciting. I had just arrived in time to see the storm approach and when it did it arrived quickly. A sudden torrent of rain and gusty winds turned the shelter I was using into a wet wind tunnel. It was hard finding a place to film where I wasn't being blasted as if I was actually out to sea in a storm! I was not the only one sheltering there. A few people had gathered taking photos and watching the spectacle. I wonder if any of them are reading this . Either way, we were all getting wet under the shelter. I am unsure how long it lasted but it did not take long for everywhere to become under water. I decided there was no point standing in the rain any longer and so ran back to the car. Unfortunately I wrecked my trainers as I had no choice but to paddle in ankle deep water. From this point on I chased the storm, but I never caught it up again. Further storms were developing to the north but were all moving away from me at a rate I couldn't keep up with. The lightning frequency seemed to drop off, but occasionally there was a burst of more frequent distant lightning. Either way though, the storms were moving faster than me driving on very wet or flooded roads. So was it worth it. I saw a biblical downpour of rain accompanied by gale force gusts of wind and arguably the most frequent lightning of my storm chase career. But I drove a long way and the chase back proved unsuccessful, the storms I was chasing were moving too fast. Well in hindsight, I don't regret the drive. I think it was worth it. A good 'potential' end to the 2023 storm chase season for me

It could easily come to nothing but in all honesty I think the risk is worth it. This is quite likely my last real storm chase of 2023. My gut is saying somewhere along or east of a line from Brighton to Cambridge. Question is how east of this line. Last year on October 23rd I head to Essex as this area looked primed, but the storms erupted northwards to my west through Luton, Milton Keynes etc. I don't want a repeat of that.

I've decided to bite the bullet and head down towards the southeast. I am not sure where I'm going yet other than south east.

I'm seriously contemplating driving down to areas south and east of London this evening.

@Rufus Butterfield @CoventryWeather I used to feel the embarrassment of standing and filming a thunderstorm when I first started, as if i was doing something wrong. But the truth is, you should never feel embarrassed about having a hobby, especially one as interesting as storm chasing or storm photography. In my view it makes you a more interesting person than the vast majority that follow the 'norms'. I still get funny looks now, but I either think it's because they don't understand and so I ignore them, or chuckle inside as to what they must think of someone who stands in the rain for fun . Either way, it won't stop me enjoying my hobby. Feel proud you have found something that interests you.

Here is the video from this past Sunday's storm chase

Thank you. Having watched my footage back I have lost all feeling of disappointment that I missed out on seeing the severe weather. As you say, closer isn't always better. The video is uploading as I type

Thank you. I'd say the closest were about 2-3 miles away but they were also occurring much further out to sea also. It helped that I was standing on a hill with a wide view across the coast.

Just been editing my video from Sunday. I just managed to reach the town of Saltfleet (a few miles north of Mablethorpe) in time to catch the northern limit of the storm. But it was as I stood on the coast near a little village called Theddlethorpe that I was treated to a fantastic display of lightning as storms that had previously affected Lincolnshire grazed the coast for about an hour. The display was made even better by a rainbow and then the red glow of the setting sun behind me. Missed out on being under the core of the storm, which was about 30-40 miles to my south and I had no chance of reaching there in time, but the lightning display was one of the best i have seen in a long time.

Agreed. I probably should have said we don't have the right data.

The latest Arome before I left for Yorkshire showed it too, however I dismissed it as it was totally different from its previous run which targeted Yorkshire. Honestly, it seems every risk day has huge model uncertainty. Even more so over recent years. Or it could be that we have so much data available to us these days and its hard to guess which model has it right.

Great video. With that constant thunder, imagine what it would have looked like at night.

Thank you. I expect people think I'm nuts too when they drive past me standing in the rain

I'm the same and also targeted East Yorkshire. Although I got to see the northern part of the storm as it moved away I would have loved to have been further south around The Wash. It may not be the last chance for this year. Next weekend into early next week offers up another thundery plume, although at 5+ days out its a case of watch this space as opposed to get excited.

Well after throwing my toys out of the pram earlier and saying I was going home, I changed my mind and tried to make a play for the big storm over Lincolnshire. So, after watching the quick death of a storm that tracked from Lincoln to where I was in Brigg I headed firstly into Grimsby and then southwards along the east coast. I could see the huge amount of lightning strikes across South Lincolnshire and knew I wouldn't get into the core of this storm before it exited out to sea. My "damage limitation" was to try and at least get to see some distant lightning over the sea. As I headed south beyond Cleethorpes I could see ever darkening skies to the south with the occasional feint flash. It did seem from the radar that I would narrowly miss the storm but maybe get some footage of it from off the coast. Unless it could veer a little further north of east. As I approached the village of Saltfleet there was a bright flash and bang of thunder, followed by a sudden blast of torrential rain and wind. I quickly parked up and stood in a bus shelter filming. I had just arrived as the northern part of the storm was moving away after skimming Saltfleet but there was still almost constant rolling thunder, some flashes of lightning and the occasional bigger flash with much louder thunder. I didn't see any bolts at this stage, but then I didn't have a very big view. As the sun began to come out on one side of me whilst thunder roared on the other, I decided to head a little south and stopped off at a little place called Theddlethorpe whereby there are great views all around, including to the east and out to sea. As the sun began to set behind me I was greeted to a gorgeous rainbow over the sea accompanied by a decent lightning show. This lightning show carried on for at least half an hour as the MCS that had affected a chunk of southeast Lincolnshire moved northeast in front of me, just a few miles off the coast. It was almost bittersweet. I was seeing a spectacular lightning display, but I wished I had been there just a little earlier and therefore had chance to get more into the storm. If I'd made it to Skeggy I'd have witnessed the storms full wrath. However, considering I was ready to give up, I did end up getting the consolation prize I was looking for.

I give up today. Headed to Brigg to intercept the cell heading up from Lincoln and it died out just before getting to me. I can't see today coming off for me so off back home

I'm getting a bit concerned now that there will be these two big storms and little else. And I'm sat between the two of them.

Holy cr**. Look at the amount of lightning strikes

I feel exactly the same. Fingers crossed. The activity down south does seem to be moving this way and @Ben Sainsbury is saying the Arome 9z model breaking out storms in the North Midlands shortly, which would be a good direction for us.

I'm currently near Doncaster so I'd never make it on time unfortunately