Selina

Ah this storm seems to have fizzled now. Interested to see if more does develop! Rain has just arrived as I type!

Totally unexpected but great light show indeed. Just passing over Chippenham now, lightning has slowed but the odd flash and rumble.

I can vouch for the several flashes a minute. I've been able to watch it for over 45 mins from where I am and it's only just passing over now. I'm no expert at predicting what storms are going to do next, I'll admit, but I hope that it lasts out so you can enjoy too!

But those odd flashes are mighty ones at that! Getting the thunder going here now. Long, deep rumbles.

Definitely don't think you'll be disappointed supacell.

The flash I saw just then....!! Lit the whole sky up pink... This is an epic storm! And another... whole sky lit up. Amazing. I love a night storm. Shows off Mother Nature so well.

Cracking lightning show going on to the SW of me right now. Looking at the sferics it seems a distance from me yet (Chippenham, Wiltshire) but lighting up the night sky good and proper! Only hearing the odd very distant rumble of thunder so far.

Haha normally I would but mum made it special :blush:

Wow awesome Stormforce!!! And I take it all back, wind gust strongly increased again now and more heavy rain, cannot eat fast enough!!!!

Right that's it, I'm not letting this one get away when it was so close, finishing my tea and going chasing!!!!

Short sharp heavy rain, lasted a few mins, still very muggy and heavy winds gone!!

Just saw 3 strikes and distant rumbles, looks like it's heading over Malmesbury? PS. I know my profile says I'm in Chippenham, I'm actually in Lyneham, about 10 miles NE of Chippenham

Can see storm cells to the west from me, am hoping this is the storm I have been waiting for, teas just cooked, so am attempting to eat whilst leaning out of the window to watch. Not seen any lightning yet, but think I heard a distant rumble. Excited isn't the word!!!!!

SO disappointed today, saw on the thunderstorm risk calculator on here today that here in Lyneham there was an 81% chance of a storm, around the same as London (who was 80%) - London got theirs and we didn't. Not a pip. I was in Swindon around 6pm and saw to the North (I think!) a cell but heard no thunder, saw no lightning, only a slight rainbow (which is always a bonus I guess!) but no storms at all. We haven't even had any rain, on the sun and warmth front it's been beautiful! So yeah, I'm sulking slightly now, everyone else I know wants the sun and heat to last and here's me praying for a storm! haha! As I have no family commitments or anything to go to tomorrow, I'm thinking I could sneak off maybe and do a bit of chasing to make up for my disappointment, it's gearing up for the SE again tomorrow isn't it? Anyone got any tips for me? This will be a first for me so I'm not getting my hopes up for any success but would be good if I could come across something!

haha! Cheeky! As long as it keeps snowing then I'm happy! Although I would rather be snowed in than snowed out! Just concerned about the drive home but fingers crossed it'll be ok! I want it to keep snowing as long as I get home basically!!

Anyone got any news on what the snow forecast is for Wiltshire, pref Chippenham if I'm being picky!! hehe! I'm in Bath at work at the moment, on and off heavy snow showers but no idea what's going on in my home town - the Mother wasn't very helpful!! Bless her! haha!

I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the right place, so mods please feel free to move, but I have found this report about a tornado in Suffolk yesterday afternoon: http://www.eveningstar.co.uk/content/eveni...3A44%3A31%3A013

Aww thanks everyone! Feel much more confident about going now!! All being well then, I shall see you all in 2010!!

Hi, I'm pretty new on here but it seems such a friendly place that I've already decided to start saving to hopefully join you on one of the chases in 2010, but must admit that I am a bit worried as I only have a basic knowledge of meteorology. I've always had a fascination with severe weather and have always wanted to do a chase but never seemed to find one that I was comfortable to go on, but seeing that you go chases on here as a forum, I was drawn to commit myself to it. The only thing is that I'm definitely not as knowledgable as a lot of you on here. My question is, will it be a problem that my knowledge isn't great, or will you all be really gentle with me? Thanks Selina

Sorry to reply to my own post, but for some reason I couldn't find an edit button on my above post. Just found that on the front page of the website I linked that there is a video of the damage done. here it is: http://www.stuff.co.nz/thepress/?source=thepress

Tornado in Christchurch: http://www.stuff.co.nz/thepress/4751220a6009.html No footage but did some damage.

Thank you all very much for your replies!

I'm a real novice at all this so please be gentle with me! I've got a really bizarre question: I've heard many times that Britain gets the "tail end" of hurricanes a few days after they've happened, if they track in the right direction obviously. Is this true? And if so, and I'm really sorry if this has been asked before, then how come they don't build back their strength when coming back across the Atlantic? And this leads on to my next question, does anyone have evidence or information that backs that the "hurricane" in the 80's was actually a hurricane? I watched the programme when it was on where they were talking about what happened and that it was just a really bad storm, but then there are the people that still stand by the fact that it was hurricane, and was wondering what people on here think and if it WAS a hurricane then how come it happened and if it can how come we don't get more of them or does it just depend on the storm's journey across the Atlantic? Thanks for listening and sorry again if these questions have been posted before! Thanks Selina