TropicThunder

Some nice flashes in the clouds to the S/E, shame it's not slightly further west.

First bolt of lightning and low rumble

Pretty cool skies overhead

Don't it just! I'm in the city centre and have the benefit of a fourth floor apartment with a south facing view, which is handy in plume events particularly when it gets dark.

Welcome mate, good to see a fellow Sotonian on here. Radar looking quite promising for us atm.

Yes have seen a few flashes here, not very frequent though.

Had some very interesting looking skies today, and now some mammatus overhead.

Been busy since Friday night but got some video on my phone of the storm over Bournemouth, although it really doesn't do it justice as it only picked up on the brighter flashes. There were also some low rumbles of thunder at times. View My Video When I realised it wasn't going to pass overhead I decided to take a drive up the A36 towards Salisbury to try and get ahead of it, and briefly got right under it with overhead lightning but also probably the most torrential rain I've witnessed in this country, possibly hail too but it was hard to tell. When I got to Salisbury the roads were like rivers and although I tried to chase the storm further north it just accelerated away from me as I got bogged down in the flooded A and B roads so had to call it quits. On my way back through Amesbury it looked like a few people were sweeping flood water out of a takeaway restaurant, and some of the roads were impassable. When I got home and checked Blitzortung I couldn't believe the widespread lightning coverage stretching almost across the country. A night to remember for many, hopefully more to come this summer. Grr can't seem to embed the video, nevermind.

This is epic, and I've not even heard any thunder yet!

Almost constant flickers to my S/SW now!

Seeing distant flashes to the SW now.

More storms firing out of northern Spain too.

View to the south

As others have said been beautiful clear blue skies all day here, a bit of high level cloud now beginning to creep in from the west. That storm in the channel looks to be headed for the Dorset coast atm, also a few sferics have broken out to the west of the main clump so maybe some will get a light show later, all good signs hopefully! Found this earlier which certainly got me in the mood for what might be to come https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnLB04yPptk

Seems to be a common theme among storm nuts that we were terrified of them as children! I'd even throw in October, can't remember what year it was (think either 2012 or 2013) but it was recent, we had unusually high temperatures into the mid/high 20's which ended in a plume type scenario and gave us here one of our better storms in recent years, with almost constant thunder and lightning for a good hour or so in the evening. Not that I think a repeat is likely any time soon!

Yes it's not just selective memory, I used to be terrified of thunderstorms when I was younger and remember numerous occasions hiding under the covers during the night while a storm raged outside. I can't remember the last time we had a proper overnight storm lasting for hours, it just doesn't seem to happen anymore, would love to know why. Disappointed with the last 48 hours as I thought for once it all looked very favourable, particularly Thursday night with that big clump in the channel that then just fizzled out. Once again no storms here but glad for those that did get something, and we are still very early in the summer so plenty of time yet, here's hoping!

Can see distant flashes but too far away to hear thunder yet. Gotta go to bed now to be up for work in four hours grrr.

Was just going to post the same, looks pretty but ominous at the same time lol.

Should be able to see distant lightning from here once darkness falls. As others have said, very dark cloud rolling in.

It's been a perfect summer's day here. Sunny and warm/hot with temps into the mid 20's, and now into the evening hours the high level cloud is starting to roll in ahead of hopefully a nice overnight light show, the best kind of weather imo! That's some serious ramping on the Estofex warning as well for most of Europe.

Watching the BBC forecast just now, the graphics showed most of the precipitation to be more showery in nature rather than frontal, and also once it arrives later tonight it seems to just get stuck over most southern areas right the way through to tomorrow evening. The word 'thunderstorm' used quite a lot as well. Looked quite promising.

Starting to get very excited about this as it looks like it could deliver for quite a wide area, and being on a Friday makes it even better. Annoying thing is I will be stuck in the cinema Friday evening watching the new Jurassic Park film, potentially completely oblivious to stormageddon happening outside lol!

I would definitely bank those charts, but I'm sure it will pan out differently. A case of radar watching for sure.

Would be great to see a nice light show on my way into work at 3am Friday morning!

Great charts, it's hard not to get excited looking at those! Not had so much as a distant rumble since New Year's morning here so it's about time, shame it's nearly a week away so lots of time for downgrades.