SummerShower

Definitely been an interesting month. Tropical heat, then 2 named storms, 6 days (including today) of seeing lightning and/or hearing thunder, surface flooding. Just need some frost now to cap it all off

Yes the storms missed us here but we got a very good light show to our west as the Bournemouth storm moved northwards. The overhead sky was clear and you could make out the huge anvil, I think this enhanced the light show. I think this event was one where storms just developed crazily, roughly north of the M4 and only a few places to the south (ie Bournemouth and I think parts of London) got decent storms. A bit like 22/23 July 2013, where again we missed out.

15.5C and 47mm. A decent September I feel generally..

Scatman John and Blur's country house, both summer into autumn 1995

Indeed, the best summer for thunder since 2014 here. I'd say this year is turning into a memorable one so far. The stormy February, the record breaking march to may sunny period, the thundery summer (bar July) and the number of 35c+ days. January is the only month with nothing to note thus far. 2017 very boring (bar the June heatwave, July 18/19 storms). December had a bit of variety but no other month did I feel. 2011 very boring (the april and September/October hot spells were interesting as was the spanish plume on 4 November) nothing else to note. 2010 outside of January and December actually had nothing memorable IMO. Least thundery year I can recall personally. 2008 seems to be mentioned a bit but I found there to be some variety and interest especially February, May, October (snow) and December. Agree, not as interesting as some years though. 2002 was indeed very monotonous though for weather fans.

It wont happen with maximum temperature, but could we have a record breaking minimum this month. Would have to be higher than 14.0 (aug 97 and July 83 had that figure). Not guaranteed, but in with a shout? Currently at 14.7 to 18th.

Know this is an old thread but yesterday evening about 10pm to the se from Basingstoke I observed lightning. Nothing unusual there but the nearest strikes at the time were off the east Sussex coast. As the crow flies this is about 100 miles away. I dont believe I have seen it anywhere near this far before and didnt know it was possible before reading this thread. Probably the sky being deeply clear helped on this occasion..

This happens quite often I find. There seem to be numerous factors such as layers of warm air melting the snow before it reaches the ground, an example being 30 Dec 1995, when I remember up to 4 inches being forecasted but was disappointed when there was just a touch of light rain. Seem to remember a similar forecast event at the beginning of that year on 5 January. Also a slight change in predicted wind direction can cause this i believe. I think the event on 24 Feb 2005 had a slight south of east wind when it should have been more north of east. I find it can happen the other way too!, which for me has balanced out the disappointment over the years. We had a sudden dump of snow on 21 Dec 2009 when only rain was forecast.. I think it rained harder than expected and with marginal temperatures it cooled the air enough to turn the whole lot to snow. Also Feb 1 2019 a similar event happened but this time caused by a small polar low developing suddenly over the area, again in marginal conditions. This goes to show so many factors can ruin predicted snow events/conjure up winter awesomeness out of nothing.

More like august 1997 than 1995 maybe on the cards during the next week?

Looks pretty intense that one!

Sounds like an amazing storm, would have loved to have experienced that. The deep booming thunder is the best type. It is often more atmospheric than the closer shotgun or rolling claps style of thunder. What causes it to sound like this? I suspect it is either when the wind is blowing directly from the storm at a distance, or if it is approaching from a hilly area. If a plume storm approaches from the south we quite often get this, and we have gently rolling hills in this direction.

Willing to be corrected, but if it does reach 35C again later this week it would make it the only time it has happened in multiple spells in 1 summer (discounting 1976/2003 which had 2 peaks of it in single heatwaves). Would be remarkable given that the summer is an average one at best so far

This month is like july 2015 in reverse! The 1 very hot day on the last day of the month this time, with the rest rather uninspiring

Beautiful day here today but tomorrow now changed with storms in the afternoon in Hampshire (met office site) still hot with 31 max though. Is the cold front moving in quicker? Also enduring a blizzard of flying ants.. haven't seen this many of them in years

A better month than july, still nothing exciting though I feel.. 16.2c and 80mm

Further west we still have the sun, which is surprising as west usually clouds up first in these situations (but not complaining seen as were having bbq no 2 of the year). The cloud has actually broken up on reaching us here..

Still sunny in basingstoke about 40 to 50m to your west but the high cloud is literally a few miles to the nw now

One good thing.. many of the 'better' days this month have fallen on weekends e.g 5th, last weekend and today at least in the south. Not so sure about tomorrow or next weekend though..

Yes this month it's all been about the cloud. I wouldn't mind the below average temperatures if we actually had some interesting weather. Westerlies so far this month have failed to deliver any convective, showery days (here anyway) and that is much more interesting than a cloud fest. Anyway, it is usable for running, and there is some warmer stuff incoming for tomorrow.. gotta see the positives! A very boring 1st half of the month

Yes I was recently thinking that we have not had a terrible May for ages, but this certainly came close (as did 2013). Anyway, 2015 I would say was indeed the worst one of the summers so far since 2012, although it was worse in the 2nd half whereas 2012 was the other way round. Both Friday 24th and sunday 26th July were diabolical, wetter than many days in summer 2012 or 2007. I think you do have to give it credit for holding the July record while it did.. but that's about it. June had a few warm days, but many cool ones too. There was a warm weekend in august 8/9th, and a hot day with distant lightning on 22nd. August was the best month of this very mediocre summer