"odd Rain?"

[desperately seeking]

All,

We've just had what will hopefully be the first of many heavy showers down here in central London (Charing Cross). I was watching the downpour from a 13th floor office. I had a more or less straight down view.

I saw something most odd - there seemed to be a mixture of rain, soft hail and .... something else. Every now and then I would see what appeared to be snowflakes. Now, in no way am I claiming I saw snow - it's 30 degrees for heaven's sake but I know I saw what appeared to be very slowly falling (possibly floating even) precipitation. As I had a chance to look more closely at this pption I noticed that it seemed flat, almost disc like and was very reflective (almost white). As I was at the side of the building I'm thinking that this may have been an effect caused by upwards moving air causing the drops (which were larger than average) to be "squashed flat" from below.

I can't think of any other explanation....

Has anyone else seen anything like this or does anyone have any alternative ideas?

I know it wasn't snowing.....

DS

[Paul]

I think a fair bit of the rain which 'fell' over central london actually evaporated before reaching the ground, so I'd say the chances are that what you saw was a mixture of rain and vapour as it evaporated.

[Nick F]

Sounds to me like large blobs of water dripping off the building where you are, I've seen large whitish blobs of water falling - out of windows due to heavy rain, and on closer inspection it is large drips off the roof or over- flowing gutter.

[MAF]

All,

We've just had what will hopefully be the first of many heavy showers down here in central London (Charing Cross). I was watching the downpour from a 13th floor office. I had a more or less straight down view.

I saw something most odd - there seemed to be a mixture of rain, soft hail and .... something else. Every now and then I would see what appeared to be snowflakes. Now, in no way am I claiming I saw snow - it's 30 degrees for heaven's sake but I know I saw what appeared to be very slowly falling (possibly floating even) precipitation. As I had a chance to look more closely at this pption I noticed that it seemed flat, almost disc like and was very reflective (almost white). As I was at the side of the building I'm thinking that this may have been an effect caused by upwards moving air causing the drops (which were larger than average) to be "squashed flat" from below.

I can't think of any other explanation....

Has anyone else seen anything like this or does anyone have any alternative ideas?

I know it wasn't snowing.....

DS

Well DS i have just come through that from the tesco on the corner of whitehall and the drops were very large indeed. i think this is because there was some very soft hail mixed in that made them so large. as for the "squashed flat" explanation, well it sounds good to me.

[peterf]

All,

We've just had what will hopefully be the first of many heavy showers down here in central London (Charing Cross). I was watching the downpour from a 13th floor office. I had a more or less straight down view.

I saw something most odd - there seemed to be a mixture of rain, soft hail and .... something else. Every now and then I would see what appeared to be snowflakes. Now, in no way am I claiming I saw snow - it's 30 degrees for heaven's sake but I know I saw what appeared to be very slowly falling (possibly floating even) precipitation. As I had a chance to look more closely at this pption I noticed that it seemed flat, almost disc like and was very reflective (almost white). As I was at the side of the building I'm thinking that this may have been an effect caused by upwards moving air causing the drops (which were larger than average) to be "squashed flat" from below.

I can't think of any other explanation....

Has anyone else seen anything like this or does anyone have any alternative ideas?

I know it wasn't snowing.....

id check to make sure the window cleaner wasnt on the 14th floor

DS

[desperately seeking]

Sounds to me like large blobs of water dripping off the building where you are, I've seen large whitish blobs of water falling - out of windows due to heavy rain, and on closer inspection it is large drips off the roof or over- flowing gutter.

That would make sense except for the fact that the "drops" were falling at a much slower rate than the "normal" drops I could see elsewhere. Also large drops are definitely not flattened disc shaped. Plus my floor is right at the top of the building and the majority of the guttering is at the same level as us

I think a fair bit of the rain which 'fell' over central london actually evaporated before reaching the ground, so I'd say the chances are that what you saw was a mixture of rain and vapour as it evaporated.

Not sure how vapour would shape water drops in the way I saw...

Maybe they were hail that was "falling apart" as it fell into an updraught...

Hmmm

DS