Derby Day storm

[A Face like Thunder]

Today is Derby day at Epsom.

110 years ago, a thundery spell lasting six days culminated in a ferocious storm in the late afternoon of 31st May 1911 which broke as Derby Day proceedings at Epsom were drawing to a close. Five people were killed by lightning, and in the London area generally, 17 people were killed. At nearby Banstead, 92mm of rain fell in three hours, of which some 80mm fell in 45 minutes  (Philip Eden).

I am grateful to TomSE12 for reminding me (on a separate thread) that the huge thunderstorm which moved north from France during the night of 1st June 1983 was also on Derby Day. We were camping that night and I well remember the 'cells' which woke us at 1am and again at 3am. Quite some storm!

No such problems today I imagine!  

[Weather-history]

3 minutes ago, A Face like Thunder said:

Today is Derby day at Epsom.

110 years ago, a thundery spell lasting six days culminated in a ferocious storm in the late afternoon of 31st May 1911 which broke as Derby Day proceedings at Epsom were drawing to a close. Five people were killed by lightning, and in the London area generally, 17 people were killed. At nearby Banstead, 92mm of rain fell in three hours, of which some 80mm fell in 45 minutes  (Philip Eden).

I am grateful to TomSE12 for reminding me (on a separate thread) that the huge thunderstorm which moved north from France during the night of 1st June 1983 was also on Derby Day. We were camping that night and I well remember the 'cells' which woke us at 1am and again at 3am. Quite some storm!

No such problems today I imagine!  

 

[A Face like Thunder]

Thanks for this Weather-history. My old 'neck of the woods' and I know most of the places mentioned well.

[A Face like Thunder]

The 1910s seem to have been a particularly bad period for thunderstorms in London & the South East including Surrey. On 14th June 1914, 7 people were killed by lightning, including 3 children sheltering under a tree on Wandsworth Common. 94mm of rain fell at Richmond Park in 3 hours and 88mm at Staines and there was much flooding and destruction in S London and Surrey. Then on 16th July 1918, a hailstorm caused much destruction in the Coulsdon & Kenley areas, with hailstones 'the size of pigeon eggs', and glasshouses and crops suffering '£1000 worth of damage at Cane Hill Asylum' near Coulsdon. 28mm of rain fell in 11 minutes at Purley. (Eden, Davison & Currie).