[Convective/storm Discussion]

Bit of a late post but, hard as it is to believe, im pretty certain I saw my first funnel cloud today B)

Given the fairly un-stormy conditions today I was suprised to say the least! These pics were taken shortly after I started work at around 18:30pm in Stroud, Glos. I have altered the contrast alot so that the shape is discernable but other than that and a crop its untouched.

I spotted it as you see it and shot a couple of pics, then delivered the pizza I was holding since I was outside the guys house. By the time I did that it was beginning to dissipate but I headed to higher ground anayway, alas, nothing more to see. I could definitely see some motion but it was pretty small and far away to clearly see any rotation.

Ive attached a pic that i took from the higher ground of the cell as it moved away. It dropped some heavy rain nearby to me but no thunder/lightning as far as im aware.

[Convective/storm Discussion]

Hard to believe whats going on in the rest of the country, looks and feels like a poor day in march here! I hope all the SE people have removed 'storm starved' from their sigs

On an off topic note, has anyone seen the latest BBC weather photo gallery? 2nd pic from scotland with 3 funnels in one shot! Link here: BBC weather photo gallery

:o :o :o :o people i have the amazing pleasure to announce that i have just seen a wot looked like a full blown tornado and a beautiful funnel cloud(rope type) within 3 miles of eachother from seperate storms!!!!!! B) :o

sorry if im a little crazy the adrenaline is still pumping a little!I cant believe this, its my first thunder of the year and i get two .... no three great events at once!!!!!!!!

thanks all SHU!

Sounds amazing! Congrats :wub:

[Thursday / Friday Storm Discussion]

Anyone down near Weymouth? Bright echo on radar approaching.... DT1 for NWradar users. Seems to be intensifying a little over the past hour. Maybe a late night encoure for the S coast

[Convective/storm Discussion]

Anyone got any opinion on this sqally line about to pass over me? Im in Gloucestershire, GL10 for NW radar users.

[What Has Happend To Our Storms?]

As someone has said above, the decline in thundery activity can be explained by natural climate variability and I think we would need to see a much longer record of thunder days to determine if there is a trend or if this is just normal fluctuation.

This post has reminded me about something I learned almost by accident while doing some research for a paper. I was looking into the spike in deaths recorded in many parish records associated with the last real super eruption, that of the Laki fissure volcano in Iceland. Many of the deaths were related to A, increased particulate matter and sulperous gasses in the atmosphere causing respiritory problems and B, Exceptionally hot summers occuring as a result of the greenhouse effect of the gasses from the eruption. These two products of the eruption resulted not only in the spike in deaths, but also in a increase of severe thunderstorms. Infact I was reading accounts from the time that described people running screaming in the streets as they thought the apocalypse had come such were the unprecedented severity of the storms. The newspaper coverage suggested that in the summer of 1783 (July onward) the storms affected most of the country and were unprecedented in their severity and frequency, described in one correspondance as 'unremitting'.

Although this is an extreme case i think it illustrates that storm frequency / severity is very sensitive and is influenced by more variables than we might expect. I dont know why we seem to be on a negative trend at the moment but im willing to bet that its not permenant!

[South East - Severe Thunderstorms Of 02-03 July 2009]

I forgot to mention earlier too that the smell of strawberries last night was insane!!

:lol: Sod that for a game of soldiers - that's why I very seldom drive off to find them - the weather is so variable here I dont bother taking the risks! Mind you living in the SE, with the imports coming straight at you, you often half think to yourself there is no point in going anywhere, lol

Yeah I know what you mean, this forum and NWradar are new to me and ive been gettin a bit overexcited this past week. Been all over the country and seen virtually nothing. I wondered why so many people sit at home and complain when a storm misses them when they could go to it! Now I think im starting to get it...

Still, ive gotta try if I think of last night as 'almost there!' its not so bad, sounds like it was epic in some lucky corners of the country (Neil!)

[South East - Severe Thunderstorms Of 02-03 July 2009]

Are you sure?

I set off from Southampton at about 11.30pm, travelling East along the M27 then A27, I watched the lightning out to sea over Portsmouth as I came down Portswood Hill. Then I spent awhile on Hayling Island watching the lightning, but couldn't get any decent shots, so I decided to head along to Worthing, unfortunately by that stage, as it made land fall, it was loosing electrical activity but I did see some very bright CG lightning and overhead thunder. It was really nice sat in one of the shelters on Worthing seafront watching the cloud and torrential rain pile in.

The drive back around 3.30am was interesting to say the least, the roads were totally flooded and I nearly lost control after aquaplaning a couple of times. Visibility was dreadful with torrential rain/small hail and a fog from the hot roads that rose about 6' from the ground and was really thick in places.

Awesome night, I just wish it hadn't lost intensity as it came ashore.

Steve

I decided it was worth a shot driving from Stroud in Gloucestershire when I saw the radar at about 11.30pm, by the time I got to Worthing there was only rain and the fog from the roads left :lol: So I drove home

[Storm/convective Discussion]

Woah those cells near Bristol have exploded with 250mm per hour rainfall rates. Is anyone on here near them?

Post number 1!

To report that I live nr Stroud, Glos (GL10) driven the full length of the M5 today, a little too late after work to catch the Birmingham area cells so decided to turn round and head to the south and hopefully get some night lightning. Just arrived in Plymouth at my brothers and checked the NWRadar..... Didnt get a spot of rain as I passed Bristol. Heres to chasing: 99% disappointment, 1% pure joy/wonder/awe