Mid 60s, Upware, Cambs. Early March, totally nondescript day, about 9 degrees C. Fishing with my dad on the Cam. I was 15 or 16 I would think
It's the fens, flat as a pancake. The light cloud & drizzle gave way to a milky sun - no change in temp. - & I was concentrating on the fishing (poor) & immersed in the landscape, wildlife, my own thoughts.
I can't remember what I noticed first, the birds going quiet, the slight breeze dropping, the noise, or the first visible signs on the horizon.
Being so flat you can see for miles, & something odd was happening. There was a blackness approaching from the west, a total contrast to the hazy blue in front of it. Then I realised it wasn't just uniform, but split into distinct parts, an army heading towards us. As it closed in you could hear a continuous booming, see the lightning flickering within each malestrom - you could see the vortex structure as the nearest one reached us, & suddenly everything went sideways.
We were sitting under metal framed fishing umbrellas. In a completely flat landscape. As the lightning came down me & my dad panicked a bit; I can't remember if we sat it out or rushed for the car, but I do know I was terrified (& we didn't get hit!).
Unsurprisingly I dreamt about that storm, possibly the scariest dream of my life. The funny thing was it was in a different landscape - I was stumbling along a ridge with trees - & from the cloud I heard a voice, which was as ridiculous as it was frightening. You see there was a programme on the radio called the Billy Cotton Band Show, on Sundays, & every week there'd be a totally silly interlude of a minute or two when some 50s type sci-fi electronic music would start up & a voice (allegedly from a UFO) would say to Billy "hey you, you down there with the glasses .." & a short & daft conversation would ensue.
Anyway, this voice said " hey you, you down there .. now listen to me ..."
What are the worst thunderstorms you have experienced in the UK?
in Spring Weather Discussion
Posted
Mid 60s, Upware, Cambs. Early March, totally nondescript day, about 9 degrees C. Fishing with my dad on the Cam. I was 15 or 16 I would think
It's the fens, flat as a pancake. The light cloud & drizzle gave way to a milky sun - no change in temp. - & I was concentrating on the fishing (poor) & immersed in the landscape, wildlife, my own thoughts.
I can't remember what I noticed first, the birds going quiet, the slight breeze dropping, the noise, or the first visible signs on the horizon.
Being so flat you can see for miles, & something odd was happening. There was a blackness approaching from the west, a total contrast to the hazy blue in front of it. Then I realised it wasn't just uniform, but split into distinct parts, an army heading towards us. As it closed in you could hear a continuous booming, see the lightning flickering within each malestrom - you could see the vortex structure as the nearest one reached us, & suddenly everything went sideways.
We were sitting under metal framed fishing umbrellas. In a completely flat landscape. As the lightning came down me & my dad panicked a bit; I can't remember if we sat it out or rushed for the car, but I do know I was terrified (& we didn't get hit!).
Unsurprisingly I dreamt about that storm, possibly the scariest dream of my life. The funny thing was it was in a different landscape - I was stumbling along a ridge with trees - & from the cloud I heard a voice, which was as ridiculous as it was frightening. You see there was a programme on the radio called the Billy Cotton Band Show, on Sundays, & every week there'd be a totally silly interlude of a minute or two when some 50s type sci-fi electronic music would start up & a voice (allegedly from a UFO) would say to Billy "hey you, you down there with the glasses .." & a short & daft conversation would ensue.
Anyway, this voice said " hey you, you down there .. now listen to me ..."
And I woke up. Sweating.