When will we get the first thunderstorms?

[Sunny76]

18 minutes ago, MP-R said:

Only eclipsed by the late May 2017 storms here. July 2014 and 2013 also delivered in this part of the world.

July 2013 and 14 were classic bangers.

In my area, we only got a few distant rumbles on May 27th 2017. 

[MP-R]

10 minutes ago, Sunny76 said:

July 2013 and 14 were classic bangers.

In my area, we only got a few distant rumbles on May 27th 2017. 

I was fortunate to be woken in the early hours of my 21st birthday to constant lightning on 23rd July 2013. It was the first storm of its kind I could clearly remember in this country. July 2014, I was then treated to an overnight thunderstorm 17th/18th in London, then another much louder one back home the following night.

May 2017, however, was something else. The display of lightning as it moved north over the West Country was spectacular but it was the violence that erupted as it passed that was the most impressive. The rain was the classic straight-line type with trees swaying. The lightning became sheet lightning as the rain blocked any definition and one particularly loud boom set three separate car alarms off on my road. Truly thrilling stuff.

 

Back to this year. I'm lucky to have copped two instances of thunder in March, both from Severn Estuary showery trains, and both enhanced by already strong winds and cold air aloft allowing for impressive hail falls. Nothing since though - rather unusual to go through all of April with no thunder (although less unusual these days), and even more so May!

[Sunny76]

10 hours ago, MP-R said:

I was fortunate to be woken in the early hours of my 21st birthday to constant lightning on 23rd July 2013. It was the first storm of its kind I could clearly remember in this country. July 2014, I was then treated to an overnight thunderstorm 17th/18th in London, then another much louder one back home the following night.

May 2017, however, was something else. The display of lightning as it moved north over the West Country was spectacular but it was the violence that erupted as it passed that was the most impressive. The rain was the classic straight-line type with trees swaying. The lightning became sheet lightning as the rain blocked any definition and one particularly loud boom set three separate car alarms off on my road. Truly thrilling stuff.

 

Back to this year. I'm lucky to have copped two instances of thunder in March, both from Severn Estuary showery trains, and both enhanced by already strong winds and cold air aloft allowing for impressive hail falls. Nothing since though - rather unusual to go through all of April with no thunder (although less unusual these days), and even more so May!

July 2013 had a few storms. I remember it was a Monday night? One hit west london around midnight, then we got hit by another storm around 3 or 4am.

 

[MP-R]

2 hours ago, Sunny76 said:

July 2013 had a few storms. I remember it was a Monday night? One hit west london around midnight, then we got hit by another storm around 3 or 4am.

 

Yeah I think you're right.

[al78]

Already had thunderstorms in Horsham, one Saturday morning/early afternoon in mid May. The only significant rain to fall in the entire month.

I can appreciate a good electrical storm, but preferably not overnight. I don't appreciate being kept awake until 3am when I have to get up for work.

[Sunny76]

4 hours ago, MP-R said:

Yeah I think you're right.

It does stand out, but I can’t believe it’s 7 years ago now lol. 2013 was one of the better years for storms, and everything else. We ended our run of colder winters then, but the good summers returned.

It was a sort of crossroads year.

[Sunny76]

1 hour ago, al78 said:

Already had thunderstorms in Horsham, one Saturday morning/early afternoon in mid May. The only significant rain to fall in the entire month.

I can appreciate a good electrical storm, but preferably not overnight. I don't appreciate being kept awake until 3am when I have to get up for work.

Yeah I get that. How about an evening storm, day from 7-10pm. The problem with those is, you usually get a follow up storm later in the night.

Day storms are hit and miss, but after yesterday, I’m getting a good feeling 2020 will deliver some decent thunderstorms.