Storm & Convective Discussion - 16/07/15 onwards

[sparky1972]

morning all, well last nights show would not make to top 10, the lightening was impressive all the same, did not hear 1 rumble of thunder and had all of 30 secs of rain.

[Dami]

I just think bedford had rain. I;m sure i wouldn't of been woken up by any storm

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A great night for some! Cambridge area seems to have copped it the worst (or best hehe)...storms intensified after leaving this area but still some decent lightning. Best thing though was the beautiful, tropical rain. Just lovely to see/hear and so needed.

 

 

4 thunderstorms aint bad bud lol!!! The last one was sort of the grand finale and I got some decent overhead lightning with booming thunder..

 

Rain by far was the most impressive, you can tell this morning because all the cars and stuff around the bottom is plastered with dirt!

Edited July 17, 2015 by Surrey

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So totals of rainfall looking at the net weather V6 radar moving North east along the line of storms:

 

 

Newport: 7mm

 

Farnham: 14mm

 

Staines: 28mm

 

Stevenage: 38mm

 

Cambridge: 120mm << wow locally perhaps up to 200mm 

Edited July 17, 2015 by Surrey

[Harry]

Just been watching the storm over North West London between about 12:30am -1:30am. When I say watching, I'm about 45-50 miles away (Abingdon) and could see the actual lightning bolts in the towering cloud. Remarkable to see such a sight from so far away. The bolts themselves looked really narrow and at one point were flickering around the clouds every couple of seconds for about 10 minutes. It was completely silent too, not even a hint of distant thunder. You can often see the sky flashing with sheet lightning from distant storms but I've never seen bolt lightning from so far away.

 

Same here...to echo what you've said above, I saw the most phenomenal lightning display after around 12:30 as the skies cleared behind the line of storms. Without hesitation it was the most frequent lightning I've seen from a single cell in the UK - the cloud tops were flashing like mad and then the forks started. The only time I've seen something reminiscent to that was watching supercells in the US (and those videos of the northern cells on 1st July). Forked lightning was burst across the cloud every 2-3 seconds, with more frequent flashes behind and to the sides along the line.

 

Was an awesome lightning display.

Edited July 17, 2015 by Harry

[poseidon]

I was near cambridge last night and rain was torrential with roads turning into rivers. Very hairy journey. Early on saw a lot of fork lightning in east herts, but later on lightning was continual flashes, multiple times per second until at least 2.00am - but just cloud flashes, still, not seen it that fast in the uk before.

[MrNooo]

Had some heavy rain for 10 mins from the cell that went on to pass leicester, no thunder but could see constant flashing to our East at 11pm, not enough to photo but entertaining all the same. One chap on the Farming Forum had 66mm rain over a 3 hr period, won't have done his crops much good. Sounds like some of you had an epic evening!!!

[East_England_Stormchaser91]

This July in my location easily beats 2014.

Never seen such frequent lightning in my life until last night. Did not see that one coming at all. I thought the 3rd wouldn't have even been challenged. Didn't hear a sound of any thunder at all though haha.

Look at that beauty! Germany, France, Benelux, it's our turn for you to be cam watching it seems

Edited July 17, 2015 by East_England_Stormchaser91

[William Grimsley]

No thunderstorms here last night, as expected. However, we've had two torrential downpours this morning which was a nice surprise. Though, unfortunately there was no thunder.

[Nouska]

Initiation a little quicker on the 06Z run for WAFC - cell over IOW area at 18Z onwards - similar path to last storms, exiting just south of the Wash.

 

Another excellent forecast from WAFC London.

 

Something to look at when planning storm chases.

 

http://en.vedur.is/weather/aviation/windcharts/

[Flash bang flash bang etc]

Coffee and bacon & egg muffin to try and perk me up before work - love chasing but don't enjoy the morning after!

[fazer76]

Lightning off the scale from those storms, impressive stuff for anyone within a fifty mile radius maybe more! Nothing much out west this time although time remains for a repeat of the early July plume event or when Bournemouth stole the show. That was a classic.

[Carl46Wrexham]

Well it was quite tasty here last night, just as you thought it was over something else came up and it seemed to strengthen as it was going over head and then onwards

 

Feeling a bit tired this morning from staying up and watching so much of it but totally worth it, second decent storm event in two weeks now I think I can live with that. 

 

... now what's next? 

For you guys nowt! You've had yours :-) Some of us haven't had any yet

[fazer76]

Coffee and bacon & egg muffin to try and perk me up before work - love chasing but don't enjoy the morning after!

Worth it though when you finally get to see a decent light show.

[Nick F]

Although nothing overhead in south London last night, was fun watching the cloud tops light up to towards the north and west.

 

Perhaps another plume over France clipping the SE next Thursday, it might get shunted further east or a little further north and west: 00z GFS hints at some storms in the afternoon SE/EA. Probably change though ...

 

Edited July 17, 2015 by Nick F

[Homerr]

I've just brewed some particularly strong coffee at work - I've been unable to use a computer correctly since waking up... which is quite essential in my job of network manager 

[Luke Best]

no it's not...it's either developing cells in the channel not showing on the radar or it's tank exercises on Salisbury plain, larkhill are firing tonight so that's a possible explanation

I'm still perplexed by this. There is absolutely no question that it was thunder I could hear late yesterday evening. I am 100% certain of that.

I've since checked the infra-red satellite imagery for the time and there was no cloud anywhere near us that could have produced lightning (in fact we were enjoying an exceptionally clear sky). I'm very aware that thunder 'shouldn't' be able to travel more than approx. 12 miles, but I have no other explanation.

[Flash bang flash bang etc]

Although nothing overhead in south London last night, was fun watching the cloud tops light up to towards the north and west.

Perhaps another plume over France clipping the SE next Thursday, it might get shunted further east or a little further north and west: 00z GFS hints at some storms in the afternoon SE/EA. Probably change though ...

thetae_th15.png

I've been keenly observing this for a few days now... This summer is starting to get fired up and despite some very early season misfires (due mostly to the atmosphere, sea and surface temps not quite getting where we needed them) these small but regular plume set-ups seem to be delivering the goods.

Some more widespread storms wouldn't be unwelcome but I'm quite happy with a weekly rinse-and repeat - at least until October ;-)

Also I'd like to add that on reflection last night's events were particularly enjoyable because I learned a few things (which I always do - being a novice chaser!) but also got to experience and capture some remarkable lightning forks. Maybe not as professional as I'd like but that's the fun of practicing I guess!

If I had the option I would actually quite happily donate next week's action to those in the northern and western areas who missed out last night - as well as those in Kent and extreme SE who didn't get anything despite a level 2. Feel your pain and good luck for the next few weeks!

Ok back to work now...

Edited July 17, 2015 by Flash bang flash bang etc

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I'm still perplexed by this. There is absolutely no question that it was thunder I could hear late yesterday evening. I am 100% certain of that.

I've since checked the infra-red satellite imagery for the time and there was no cloud anywhere near us that could have produced lightning (in fact we were enjoying an exceptionally clear sky). I'm very aware that thunder 'shouldn't' be able to travel more than approx. 12 miles, but I have no other explanation.

 

I heard something very very strange last night in the intense rain we had 3 huge flashes of lightning followed by some deep thunder but then a huge roar, im guessing it could have been in flow winds?? The wind was seriously strong during the last storm 

[Homerr]

I had a spectacular lightning bolt near by the flat, the whole room lit up bright blue with absolutely instant and incredibly loud thunder... I was scrolling through this thread about to try and doze off when it happened and even I nearly left a deposit in the bed with how loud it was! 

[Flash bang flash bang etc]

I heard something very very strange last night in the intense rain we had 3 huge flashes of lightning followed by some deep thunder but then a huge roar, im guessing it could have been in flow winds?? The wind was seriously strong during the last storm

I have footage from 2 weeks ago when it sounds like a car passing me but there was nothing there. Eerie. I think it may have been the echo from the engines of a plane which passed bouncing off the high cloud towers but it sounded like someone rustling tin foil all around me. I might upload it at some point so u can check it out.

Scary stuff like that is fascinating!

[Evening thunder]

I'm still perplexed by this. There is absolutely no question that it was thunder I could hear late yesterday evening. I am 100% certain of that.

I've since checked the infra-red satellite imagery for the time and there was no cloud anywhere near us that could have produced lightning (in fact we were enjoying an exceptionally clear sky). I'm very aware that thunder 'shouldn't' be able to travel more than approx. 12 miles, but I have no other explanation.

 

I have definitely heard thunder from way more than 12 miles so it is believable IMO, once I heard it from a storm just west of Okehampton (about 30 miles), and a few other times from storms out in the channel, up to 40/50 miles away from here. Mostly evening or night (except one morning last July), and always from elevated storms (though storms here often are elevated). 

 

I don't know if it was positive CG's or atmospheric conditions conductive to 'bouncing' the sound waves to further distances (have heard of this before), or even bolts extend closer than the radar showed the storms or the lightning detectors plotted them? However it always corresponded to the direction and the timing which lightning was detected (with a delay of a few minutes..), and there isn't much else between me and the sea to cause the sound instead. 

I have also only heard the same sound with distant and/or approaching storms.

 

I do live in the countryside though where it is pretty quiet, wouldn't think I'd be able to do hear or discern it up in Egham.

Also on a different note, when playing back the radar (NW Extra) you can see the last cell rotating as it crosses and exits East Anglia! Also the cell and its corresponding lightning strikes on lightning maps appear to take a slightly more easterly course than the rest (possible supercell?) 

 

[chrisbell-nottheweatherman]

What a night!

 

We heard our first thunder around 11.30, from the first of the line of cells passing to our west, plus (possibly) from a rapidly-developing cell to our east.  This didn't last long, and there was a fair gap during which all was quiet.  Just as I was getting ready to settle down, another cell arrived from our south, rapidly developing and electrifying, with what seemed like mostly IC lightning and readily-audible intermittent thunder.  Around a minute after I closed my eyes, there was a terrific flash; very bright even behind closed eyelids.  My immediate response was to open my eyes, and, as I did, there was one of (if not the) loudest crack(s) of thunder I've ever heard - no rumble, just a crack and a sound like a huge explosion.  My response was to shout (I think) "Bloody hell, that was close!", in reply to which my dad (a usually unflappable man not given to hyperbole) came into the room with his eyes out on stalks.  It turned-out that, the reason it was so loud was that he had to front door open (bungalow) and was standing in the doorway calling the cat to come in.  He thinks he saw the bolt rather than just the all-encompassing flash, but the immediacy of the event left him unsure.  What he did find was that his hair stood on end with the static field, and, as the sound of the thunder arrived, he felt a push on his chest from the pressure wave which forced the air out of his lungs.  Based on what happened, we think the CG strike had to have been no more than 1/2 a mile away, possibly more like 1/3 of a mile. 

 

After a few more flashes and rumbles, that storm moved away, and, after the adrenaline had subsided, I got off to sleep.  Dad reported this morning that, around 2.15-ish, there were two elevated storms visible (on to the west, the other to the north-west), but no audible thunder.  Strangely, at 4.00 am, he was awoken by the cat wanting to be let out again, and reported faint flickering high up in the atmosphere.  On checking the radar, the final cell was around 20-25 miles to our north-west, but I doubt this was the source.  Any ideas as to what he might have seen?

Edited July 17, 2015 by chrisbell-nottheforecaster

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I have footage from 2 weeks ago when it sounds like a car passing me but there was nothing there. Eerie. I think it may have been the echo from the engines of a plane which passed bouncing off the high cloud towers but it sounded like someone rustling tin foil all around me. I might upload it at some point so u can check it out.

Scary stuff like that is fascinating!

 

 when it occurred I was not recording, it is kinda hard as the Mrs has epilepsy and when she texts me I have to make sure everything is okay ETC so constantly have to pause and restart.. No biggie a life is worth more than any storm on Earth.. 

 

Your theory on planes would be a great... Except the planes had stopped flying when this happened. Im going to go for a possible micro burst??

 

Anyone notice the temp drop to when the storms came over? Then humid.. back to cold again when the storms came over.

 

Also had some pea sized hail mixed in with the most intense storm at the end but lasted a few seconds.. 

[big_treacle]

I'm still perplexed by this. There is absolutely no question that it was thunder I could hear late yesterday evening. I am 100% certain of that.

I've since checked the infra-red satellite imagery for the time and there was no cloud anywhere near us that could have produced lightning (in fact we were enjoying an exceptionally clear sky). I'm very aware that thunder 'shouldn't' be able to travel more than approx. 12 miles, but I have no other explanation.

 

The tanks were firing at Lulworth - I could hear it from my house pretty clearly. I live on a hill and the sound carries straight across the harbour from over on the purbecks. B-BOOOOMMM