Could we feasibly build a land strip between us and Europe...

[Flash bang flash bang etc]

... in order for french storms to cross with ease into the UK?

(Ideally at an angle from Le Havre to Worthing - cos I had the idea first and I want all the awesome storms)

Edited May 29, 2016 by Flash bang flash bang etc

[Flash bang flash bang etc]

Oh and I guess more importantly - would it actually work?

[stainesbloke]

Didn't need a land strip pre-2000, imports made it across regularly and often lasted for hours with masses of lightning, especially at night. Thing of the past it seems nowadays, has the Channel dramatically cooled in recent years? Filling in the Channel would help I suppose lol....

[davehsug]

It would have to have a pretty big canal through the middle or I could see the countries bordering the North Sea & Baltic being a bit upset!

[cheese]

The frequency of such events may well have decreased but the UK has always been one of the least lightning-prone areas of the world. It's the drawback - amongst many - of being a small island, as opposed to a large continental landmass. Certainly if you don't live in the south of England continental imports never or very rarely had any impact.

Edited May 29, 2016 by cheese

[alexisj9]

Not viable, therefore it won't happen.

Edited May 29, 2016 by alexisj9

[stainesbloke]

11 minutes ago, cheese said:

The frequency of such events may well have decreased but the UK has always been one of the least lightning-prone areas of the world. It's the drawback - amongst many - of being a small island, as opposed to a large continental landmass. Certainly if you don't live in the south of England continental imports never or very rarely had any impact.

True, also most imports actually occurred in summer proper and usually during decent periods (3-5 days+) of high temperatures. Modern heatwaves/plumes seem to barely last 24 hours so that doesn't help. Imports affected the S and SE far more than the rest of the UK but I do have clear memories of them occasionally reaching Scotland still packing a fair punch.

[lassie23]

They can keep their storms, why anyone would want thunderstorms/ lightning like in Europe is beyond me, especially after seeing what the storms did there recently, people killed, children struck......no thanks.

[cheese]

15 minutes ago, stainesbloke said:

True, also most imports actually occurred in summer proper and usually during decent periods (3-5 days+) of high temperatures. Modern heatwaves/plumes seem to barely last 24 hours so that doesn't help. Imports affected the S and SE far more than the rest of the UK but I do have clear memories of them occasionally reaching Scotland still packing a fair punch.

I have memories of good storms here, but none of them were imports, and in fact many of them occurred on days of only modest warmth (low 20s).

However, it's interesting to note that the number of thunder days declined in the 1971-2000 period compared to the 1961-1990 period so if storms are less common now it's been a long-term trend, not a recent one. Summers in the 1981-2010 period are however noticeably warmer than in the 1961-1990 period.

Edited May 29, 2016 by cheese

[stainesbloke]

6 minutes ago, lassie23 said:

They can keep their storms, why anyone would want thunderstorms/ lightning like in Europe is beyond me, especially after seeing what the storms did there recently, people killed, children struck......no thanks.

I love storms, have witnessed loads of real crackers both in the UK and abroad. Of course, as with any weather type, that enjoyment and excitement diminishes knowing people have been injured or killed, very sad. 

I'll always remember chatting with a German friend from Munich some 20 years ago about weather and I mentioned my love of storms. He said they really annoyed a lot of people there as during the daytime in summer when everyone was at work it was lovely and sunny but then, like clockwork around 5pm when people wanted a beer outdoors, it would cloud over and chuck it down ruining the evening for any outdoor stuff.

[cheese]

15 minutes ago, lassie23 said:

They can keep their storms, why anyone would want thunderstorms/ lightning like in Europe is beyond me, especially after seeing what the storms did there recently, people killed, children struck......no thanks.

Think you're on the wrong forum lassie! We're weather enthusiasts here - and as such actively seek interesting weather, however damaging or disruptive it may be to some people. It's sad that people die in storms, but that won't stop me enjoying them. The more the merrier. 

Edited May 29, 2016 by cheese

[Raidan]

7 minutes ago, lassie23 said:

They can keep their storms, why anyone would want thunderstorms/ lightning like in Europe is beyond me, especially after seeing what the storms did there recently, people killed, children struck......no thanks.

Thats a fair comment lassie i see where your coming from but to be fair lightning can strike anyone anywhere including the uk, The thing is storm enthusiasts like myself and others on the forum love storms the bigger the better we dont think about people may get struck by lightning or fires caused at the time its all about the lightning display the thunder getting pics videos etc and enjoying it, It isnt nice when you hear a storm has caused deaths or injuring people i do have sympathy for them but im always going to love storms not matter what and when the next one comes i'll be right out there in it, Also Mother Nature if you read this can we have some storms like in the 90's im not scared of them anymore cheers thanks.

[lassie23]

11 minutes ago, Raidan said:

Thats a fair comment lassie i see where your coming from but to be fair lightning can strike anyone anywhere including the uk, The thing is storm enthusiasts like myself and others on the forum love storms the bigger the better we dont think about people may get struck by lightning or fires caused at the time its all about the lightning display the thunder getting pics videos etc and enjoying it, It isnt nice when you hear a storm has caused deaths or injuring people i do have sympathy for them but im always going to love storms not matter what and when the next one comes i'll be right out there in it, Also Mother Nature if you read this can we have some storms like in the 90's im not scared of them anymore cheers thanks.

 Extreme weather is spectacular, but hurricane force winds would not be a good idea, nor destructive thunderstorms. I like thunder, gales and snow but unfortunately they come with a price.

[William Grimsley]

It may work, but don't forget it would need to go all the way down to this end of the English Channel...

[stainesbloke]

11 hours ago, cheese said:

I have memories of good storms here, but none of them were imports, and in fact many of them occurred on days of only modest warmth (low 20s).

However, it's interesting to note that the number of thunder days declined in the 1971-2000 period compared to the 1961-1990 period so if storms are less common now it's been a long-term trend, not a recent one. Summers in the 1981-2010 period are however noticeably warmer than in the 1961-1990 period.

Some interesting statistics there. I wonder how the 2000-2015 thunder figures compare with the previous ones? With regards to storms, my previous comments concerned imports rather than homegrown storms. From my memory, both have significantly diminished both in frequency and severity in this area since 2000 or so. Perhaps there have been less drawn out plume type scenarios and more settled warmth in recent years? 

[Speedway Slider]

What about columns of huge container ships, say 10 wide from one side of the channel to the other? They would generate warm air as well, well slightly....