Bolt from the Blue

Omfg, its really getting going here now, a lot of orangy intra cloud lighning , with long booming rumbles

Getting more flashes now, i think the storm is pepping up again

Just woke up, seen a few distant flashes to the south, am getting a bit worried this storm is petering out across the channel.

Going to sleep, got alarm set for 4:30AM. I hope the thunder will wake me if anything happens

Hi all, What time should we expect things to kick off tonight in the South West? I would like to see some lightning but have to go to sleep at some point as I have work tomorrow, no idea whether to stay up late or get up early??? Or both and struggle through work lol. Many Thanks

That'll be me then, already heard a few distant rumbles but didn't see any flashes.

Raining here, big drops

Feeling muggy out there with a few dark clouds and convection bubbling up. Hopefully something will spark up later.

If we are lucky we MIGHT get some remenants of that cell currently dipping its feet in the channel near Cherbourg. Fingers and toes crossed!

Looking good for the SE tonight, if those storms running up central france can hold the channel. The Jet should drive these storms a little westwards as well.

dark clouds came over, got windy, clouds looked very storm like but no precipitation! sun is back out now!

some dark skies to my south and south west, also had a very light shower here. Im thinking these might get heavy and more thundery as they move north.

Same story here! 2012 has been the most dissapointing year for storms in Dorset, 2011 wasnt much better either. Used to get plenty of storms here back in 1990s and early 2000s but hardly any these days... sort it out mother nature!!

My favourite storm memory took place on the Thursday 25th June 2009. It was warm and humid that week and glastonbury festival was happening at the time (so it would have to rain at some point!). I was driving back from work I took a look at the sky which was very hazy and you could only just make out the tops of a few towering cu clouds. When I arrived home from work the air felt really muggy, and I decided to go for a cycle ride which took me out towards Bedchester (a small village nr Shaftesbury) which is approx 7 miles away from home. As I began cycling I was getting a nice breeze but also a lot of storm/lightning bugs were sticking themselves to my arms. The air was very still and the atmosphere seemed noticably quiet as I cycled down remote country lanes. Then when I reached the top of the hill I stopped to take a look at the view and catch my breath. The sky looked sort of grey on the horizon but you couldnt work out if it was clear sky or a dark cloud due to the haze and poor visibility. It was at this point, out of nowhere a huge CG caught my eye (and also made me jump!) which was followed a few seconds later by a low rumble. I was quite worried at this point because I was 7 miles from my house and didnt know what to do to keep safe from the lightning as I was sat on what was potentially a giant lightning rod!. I decided the only option was to cycle as fast as I could and try to get home before the storm reached me. As I was cycling I could just hear the thuder getting louder and louder as it got closer, which in turn made me pedal harder. When I finally got back home I was completely breathless and could barely walk due to pedalling so hard, but was just glad to be safe and dry. I made my way upstairs to watch the rest of the storm from the bedroom window. The lightning and thunder was very close because it happened at the same time, and I somehow got a static shock from the window! The power went off and the storm also broke our router for the internet. After the storm had passed I went outside and it was noticeably cooler and the air felt a lot fresher. I could hear sirens coming up the road which turned out to be a fire engine, so I decided to get back on my bike and follow it. It ended up in the at a house near the church which had a thatched roof and was on fire. As I looked on from a distance I saw someone walking their dog coming up the road and asked them what happened, and they told me that the house had been struck but everyone was okay. This made me realise how close the lightning was. The best part of this storm was being chased by it on my bike, although it was scary at the time it was also a fantastic adrenaline rush and made me feel alive!

Having a really heavy shower here looks to be heading ENE and intensifying