Storms and Convective discussion - 10th April 2020 onwards

[Windblade]

On 22/04/2020 at 18:22, Harry said:

I live just round the corner from you @Windblade and I don’t think the past few years have been pants - on the contrary, in the past few years I’ve seen some of the most electrically active storms ever (in the UK). In terms of frequency, pretty much about average I’d say overall really.

We did have a very quiet start to the year a few years ago (can’t remember which, maybe 2017??) and then it went nuts from June onwards with rounds of intense storms over the following months. 

I’m enjoying the crystal clear skies and hope for a nice storm season, even if I have to wait til June/July

 

HI Harry, how are you? Sorry for the late reply mate, been very busy lately!

The last decent storm in these parts I remember was the night of the london supercell (2017?). I could see it from here at 11pm constantly lit up with blue strobe lighting but oddly no thunder. Then about midnight we got our own storm, possibly the best nightime storm I've ever seen with purple horizontal forks and anvil crawlers. It was incredible and lasted until 1.30pm. Since then I've had a couple of cloud farts and a few flashes and bangs when working in london. That's all I've had.

[Flash bang flash bang etc]

Well the forecasts seem to have focused on the wrong end of the country today

[Windblade]

On 22/04/2020 at 19:09, Zak M said:

Here in 2016 it was exactly like that. Very quiet for the first couple of months of the 2016 storm season (except from a potent little storm on April 14) and in June, all of the storms erupted. 

I remember the beginning of June being very thundery. One June day that stood out was the 7th. A thunderstorm developed over N London and intensified rapidly as it reached here, with the anvil of the storm roughly being the size of Northern Ireland. When the storm arrived, it produced the most frequent daytime lightning I have ever witnessed in the UK. Almost all of the bolts were CGs and were actually striking in front of the main band of rain, instead of inside it. After the rain arrived, it started producing +CGs, with every loud crackle of the thunder shaking the ground. 

I have a couple of videos of the storm too, with the first one being 16 minutes long shortened into just under 2 minutes.

 

I remember the few days after that were also very thundery, in which I don't have any videos of those storms unfortunately. 

The rest of June once again produced absolute corkers, most of them I didn't get on video but I got this on the 25 June 2016.

 

In my opinion, July was as good as June, despite the month having less storms. Why? Because I managed to see two funnel clouds in July. I remember the first funnel cloud was at the beginning of July when I was in a PE lesson in Year 7/8 playing rounders and one of my friends said to my PE teacher 'Is that a tornado?' I didn't see anything at first but when I looked behind the tall tree, there was, fair enough, a massive rotating tube not far above the ground. In fact, there could of been some rotation at ground level. It looked exactly like the Wakefield tornado. The second funnel cloud was at the end of July, and at the time I'm pretty sure it was over south Cambridge. Don't have any videos of them both unfortunately once again.

So yes, 2016 was the most thundery year in my 16 years and 8 months of living. Hopefully 2020 storm season will be as good!

Hey there,

Thanks for the awesome vids mate and the stories, I love reading peoples recollections of storms. 2016 was utterly dismal for me, the worst season I've ever had so far and I thought the general consensus was that it was a fairly crap year for storms for most people so it's nice to see someone actually had a decent year that year! I'm trying not to lose hope, but it's incredibly frustrating to see us get passed over time and time again when it comes to storms while other places (usually the same ones every single time) get the goods. In the 80's and 90's and to some extent the early 00's storms used to be pretty frequent and strong around here, often of the multi cell variety that would arrive in the night and still be going at 8.30am the following day. Now I'm lucky if I hear a single cloud fart. Hoping 2020 improves rapidly from here on in.

[Ricepilot]

I'm just south of Gatwick and there are multiple CG strikes happening in the last 20 mins or so

[Stormyking]

We just had some pretty potent showers with Hail move through and they had some incredible looking sky's and structures

[Windblade]

We've had one shower this morning and have cells passing parallel to us (as always happens).

Southwest view...

 

Northwest view...

 

And the radar image..

As you can see, this happens Every. Single. Time. Meanwhile my friend in Edenbridge is enjoying the storm of his life. I'm happy for him, but I'm wondering when it's going to be my turn.

Edited May 1, 2020 by Windblade

[Thunder and Lightning]

Lightning detector just beeped! 2 Strikes have just appeared on blitzortung

[Eagle Eye]

I've got both of the storms in my view

[matt111]

Another one passing to the south but without the thunder this time 

[Mitch the motorbike storm]

Oooolalala

[alexisj9]

3 hours ago, Paul Sherman said:

Cant see that myself, no plume of Theta air makes it further north than Central France - Cape is almost at zero (MU & SFC) 

In fact I will apologise now to everyone, this is the first May I will be in the Uk since 2004 and I know you guys have had some humdingers over the past Mays, but going on the latest GFS alone it looks devoid of any sort of Plume outbreak for the Entire run upto the 15th May and Cape gets to 200jkg on 1 day at the end of the run.

Sorry again 

It's not your fault lol. 

[matt111]

Nothing on the radar but looks like something building to the SW behind the one to the south  

Edited May 1, 2020 by matt111

[Windblade]

Another huge cb passing by...

 

Anyone to my north, can you please go outside and blow as hard as you can to the south?  Appreciate it, thanks.

Edited May 1, 2020 by Windblade

[TomLO04]

Just heard multiple rumbles of long lasting thunder and many noticeable flashes to my south After a short hailstorm passing overhead. It blew up above me!

[matt111]

3 minutes ago, matt111 said:

Nothing on the radar but looks like something building to the SW behind the one to the south  

Which has rapidly become this 

Meanwhile the view to the SE from their the showers that’s just passed to the south 

[Mitch the motorbike storm]

3 minutes ago, matt111 said:

Which has rapidly become this 

Meanwhile the view to the SE from their the showers that’s just passed to the south 

I think I'm going to miss the Action in Ramsgate, further down south is the storm

[Windblade]

Difficult to make out but this is that huge cell passing over north london. Can see it from here...

 

Looks mental on radar...

Edited May 1, 2020 by Windblade

[Thunder and Lightning]

1 minute ago, Windblade said:

Difficult to make out but this is that huge cell passing over north london. Can see it from here...

 

Looks mental on radar...

 

Just time lapsed that. It had great structure, but just missed me

I saw the time lapse, and thought I could see some minor rotation. Is it just me?

Edited May 1, 2020 by Thunder and Lightning

[Windblade]

1 minute ago, Thunder and Lightning said:

Just time lapsed that. It had great structure, but just missed me

Yeah, its doing the usual trick of passing parallel to me but incredible looking thing on the radar. Wish I was under that!

[Bogman]

1 minute ago, Thunder and Lightning said:

Just timelapsed that. It had great structure, but just miseed me

Potters Bar direct hit. 2 minutes of hail, 1 clap of thunder.

[Eagle Eye]

[Windblade]

6 minutes ago, Thunder and Lightning said:

Just time lapsed that. It had great structure, but just missed me

I saw the time lapse, and thought I could see some minor rotation. Is it just me?

Difficult to see but I think you may be right if you're looking at the bottom left? Looks like some very minor rotation. Looks very strong on radar. Lovely pics btw.

Edited May 1, 2020 by Windblade

[Eagle Eye]

Typical it seems to stop just before me

[Thunder and Lightning]

5 minutes ago, Windblade said:

Difficult to see but I think you may be right if you're looking at the bottom left? Looks like some very minor rotation. Looks very strong on radar. Lovely pics btw.

Thank you!

[Windblade]

It now appears to have a wall cloud.