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Lauren

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    Best storm you've ever seen in the UK

    in Storms & Severe Weather

    Posted

    Just found this thread. I do love a good thunderstorm story!

    In terms of the UK we just don't get them like we did in the 90's. So many events I remember where it started off early evening and was still rumbling as the dawn broke. Long hot summers filled with storm events.

    I remember two in particular that struck in the summer of 97 and 99. At the time we were all still young and living at home and we would gather in my parents bedroom as none of us could sleep and we would just watch it all night long. I remember the rumbling starting near bed time and building from there. Constant flashing in all directions for hours on end. I now know this to have been an MCS. There was no point trying to sleep because it was too loud and too hot so we all took in turns to make tea throughout the night. I don't think we spoke much, just watched in awe at what nature could do. A house a few streets over got struck by lightning and burnt down. You'd think that would have scared me as a kid, but it didn't. At one point lots of debris started to be washed down the hill from the scout hut at the top of the road. It started to create a bit of a dam in the road and eventually gave way so a big wave washed down the road.

    I remember some pretty spectacular ones in the 90's on caravan holidays to the West Country. One I remember best was after a day at the beach and we came back for a BBQ. It was absolutely scorching and I remember the humidity vividly. We could see clouds bubbling up off the coast.  Just as we were clearing away the BBQ, big fat drops of rain started to fall and the heavens opened. The storm seemed to come and go all night and I remember there almost being different colours to some of it which I have since learned means hail. It was so hot in the caravan we had to have the windows wide open all night, which of course meant no sleep due to the noise, but I was happy enough staying up and watching it.

    The most recent one in my memory is the one on the night of 26th/27th May 2018 that I think hit most of the South East. It started fairly late at night as distant flashes and rumbles. Then the rain came. I videoed this event and in a matter of seconds we go from no rain to torrential rain, it was like a sheet moving through. This was another MCS I am sure of it due to the sheer size and length of it as well as the flashes from all different directions. I think at it's peak we didn't go more than a second without a flash. The thunder was constant as another rumble started as one ended. 

    Sadly, it's been rubbish since! Hoping for a decent event this summer.

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