Steve C

I saw him on Al Jazeera (the only English Language tv option in my hotel) when I was in Antwerp at the weekend.

I thought this was an obscure anagram, which I then googled, when unable to work out... Doesn't sound the best tbh.

John Hammond.

I do find these type of threads a bit subjective - we're all different. However... Myself, even when a young and skinny lad, who did his paper round in zero degree temperatures (in a t-shirt, to show off tbh) and who still, in his mid to late forties, would be in the lowest 5% of people who suffers with cold, would like to see the cold weather 'heroes' on this site, aged to octogenarian status and see how they would cope? Myself, I think these people are laughable - I know how elderly people really suffer with the cold.

Don't they always?

Not completely relevant, but I've been reading the tweets from Essex Cricket, as a friend of mine is due to attend the T20 match in Chelmsford this evening. https://twitter.com/essexcricket?pk_campaign=social_usage&pk_kwd=twitter Interesting in that they've refused to abandon the game so far - the gates opened at 16:30, but lord knows who'd want to sit out there in the rain... A few people are becoming irked. Hopefully the incoming very heavy area of rain should make the inevitable decision an earlier one...

Interesting article about the windy weather this year. I know stainesbloke has been irritated by it, as have I. http://blog.metoffice.gov.uk/2015/07/24/has-2015-really-been-that-windy/

Rainfall totals from NMM, until 6 o'clock tomorrow morning. Quite spectacular for those in 'the zone' if this were to happen.

Okay mate...

It is not late Summer though. Kids might cry at your comment.

Your comment would be more appropriate in a month's time IMHO - mid July??

A nice Summery picture Malcolm. It reminds me that benign can be just as evocative as dramatic.

I reckon you could be right... A surprisingly good skyscape at the moment here - it caught my eye.

I probably need to revisit my learning. There's a certain very rare high energy stroke. My hunch is that your lightning was very close to you. Remembering that lightning distance to the sound of its attendant thunder is 5 seconds per mile; lots of people think it's only one second.

If it's what I'm thinking (from reading in my youth) those are rare - a 1 per more than a million lightning strokes. Having said that, I was speaking to a pub local, who described seeing what was obviously ball lightning in his youth. He didn't even know what it was. I was astounded hearing him relaying the tale, last weekend.

From what you've described, I reckon 50 feet might have been closer to the mark...

Here are radar grabs on the hour from 23:00 till 03:00, showing the line and progression of the 'sweet zone' from NW London, northeastwards. plus a couple zoomed in to Cambridge, showing just how intense the rainfall was there at times. It's a pity I can't show the lightning, which became ridiculous after about 1:00 AM.

Even though I've missed out tonight so far, except for seeing distant flickering, without a doubt, this year has already been the best for storms in our area for a very long time. You can almost guarantee that next year someone will say though that storms "ain't what they used to be"... More to come mid next week?

I reckon you'll hear thunder. You look in the prime location to me.

Great news that contact re-established. Looking forward to the first close up picture later today.

Exceptional photo, that one.

Only the non avian ones too.

A Supercell, according to TORRO

Not sure of context, but suspect it's dew point.

I don't think many of us, in our heart of hearts, thought it'd happen, especially today. I like notable weather events, so happy.