Phil UK

Perseids or Quadrantids (3rd/4th January) Fast and rapid and very bright. But as with Britain and usually cloudy... Pfft! 1999, Leonid shower of 100,000 meteors per hour. 33 year cycle... Not that time!! 1966 and 1933 did show exactly that. Oh well. Maybe November 2031?? Will be cloudy otherwise if it does. <_< Phil.

True, but then that has been said for many a year. The best I can recall was in 1987 when there was at least two bright Perseids with afterglow every minute. I always find that the best time to observe is well after midnight when you have what is called, the fast moving meteors. Total eclipse LIVE NOW... NASA TV <----- Click! Phil.

My apologies for this image. But laugh in the face of adversity. But then there is the Perseid meteor shower, partial Lunar eclipse on 16th August. Both events probably fluppin' cloudy as well! <_< Phil.

Making the best of a bad job. Cloud and wind are totally against me. (So what's new there when any exciting astronomy events occur? ) I just give up. So for our friend in Norway... (And others just so we know what they can see...) CLICK HERE FOR LIVE WEBCAST Phil.

Looks like the five 'Here's' with the UK weather as I type at the moment but I'll strive to get any images that I can. Even more so if you live in Scotland. Phil.

I think I've forgotten what lightning is. Phil.

Have to say that up here in Solihull, I haven't seen any (as yet. But now I've just gone and said that... ) To answer Chinomaniac's question. The temperature and humidity need to be correct. I've seen swarms of flying ants as early as mid July over recent years so what is happening now is not unusual. (No Tom Jones singing please!) Have to say though that I've not seen many moths (not that I want to!) This year. Although bees, bluebottles and other 'in your face whilst sitting outside enjoying a drink or BBQ' insects seem to be in abundance. Just keep the fly spray handy. Phil.

So that's where the so-called 'Thundery breakdown' yesterday was hiding. In the Netherlands! Only had my mobile phone on me anyway as I was out on the lash. (As you do on a weekend! ) So if that had came overhead, my pics would not have been nearly as good and of the quality that you've kindly posted, Jurgen. Well done and thanks again. Love that last pic by the way. Phil.

Great pics, Neilsouth. Just hope I never see one in my bedroom at night. :o Phil. (Newspaper rolled up just in case!)

Also unreliable. A couple of years ago, there were storms in and around the Midlands but the sferics on that very website were showing them to be in the English Channel. Now, unless there was some Earth shift or something at the time, I don't ever recall Solihull/Birmingham being stuck slap bang in the middle of the English Channel. :lol: And even if we were, well it's closer to the beach. :lol: Phil. (Glub, glub, glub!!)

Was just about to set off to bed (at the unearthly hour of 03:20am!) and caught this unusual form of cloud structure outside my front door window... This being after the so-called front that was supposed to have given us (except Solihull! :lol: ) the thundery breakdown last Tuesday/Wednesday, moved away. I had thought, and am still rather unsure if these were NLCs (Noctilucent Clouds) owing to the distinctive colouring or not. The picture doesn't really do them justice plus my camera (Canon PowerShot A570 IS) doesn't seem to like taking pictures in the dark. But interesting anyway. :lol: Phil.

Typical! Missed Birmingham/Solihull again. But then I wasn't around in 1923 so I don't care. I think I know which storms you are referring to, Summer of '95. I distinctly remember the evening consisting of thundery showers and thunderstorms but it was after dark that things really began to kick off. Think it was about 01:00am and was seeing my friend off home when a CB closed in with lightning that, and I kid you not, must have been throwing out IC and CG bolts once every three or four seconds. What a time not to have a digital camera. Didn't even have a PC then come to think of it! I just stood there in awe outside my front doorstep and watched it get closer until the rain came lashing down and the strikes getting a touch too close so, as you do, indoors and watch from window. Probably was one of the most active storms I've ever witnessed at night. And Mr Data, they don't call you Data for nothing. Thanks for the info. Phil.

Storms and flash flooding were expected owing to daytime heat showers, METO radar at 5pm looked VERY colourful but even the MO probably had this one underestimated. Just hope that all are ok in the affected areas. At around 7pm tonight in Solihull, a shower with rain coming down like stair rods hit my area, lasted about half an hour. Not expected at all but that warm front, owing with possible frontal trough IMO came further west than anticipated. Phil.

You shouldn't always believe such gossip. It would be like me saying that rumour has it that you like playing with your generator. <_< Phil.

I consider myself lucky to see 2 inches of snow in 2 years, let alone 2 minutes. Phil.

It's just arrived at my doorstep. (2nd class post and was dispatched only on Tuesday afternoon? Did a Lear jet deliver it or something?) A good foreword by Ian McCaskill though. Hope I don't get into any trouble for this if I partially phrase it... "When I completed my initial forecasting course over thirty years ago I remember thinking, after six gruelling months,'That can't be it. When do they take me aside and tell me the secret of weather forecasting and make me vow to use my new powers only for the good of mankind!' My head was stuffed with formulae but I had no clue about the weather. How I wish someone had given me Robin's book then. Because he knew the secret and had that almost indefinable 'feel' for the scale and process of weather, something that's taken all my life even to approach. And, you lucky people, you too can acquire his insight just by reading this book -- and keeping it it -- and dipping into its treasury of weather records and stories, and there are hundreds of them! Lots of recent weather books have had an American bias. Not this one. Resolutely British with only brief and almost pitying glances at our neighbours, the citizen needs no other volume to possess an authorative account of every aspect of Britain's weather, past, present and future. I can think of no topic in meteorology which he has not covered happily and well. See ya later. Shall enjoy this sitting outside in the sun with a cold beer or two. B) Phil.

And at Glastonbury 2008 as rumour has it. Anyway, ordered, despatched Tuesday afternoon (Play.com) so ETA... Friday or Saturday this week so if I'm quiet this weekend, you'll know why. I concur entirely with that. Another book which could bring conflicting views and has done to to this day as regarding climate change is called "The Weather Machine" by Nigel Calder. One of the first weather books I ever read. Reason being that at school when I was 15, an English language class I was in was split into groups of three and each had to work on an exam project. Having watched some documentary on, maybe ITV or Channel 4 a few days prior and stuck for ideas, I came acroes the idea of natural disasters (TV programme giving me the inspiration!) Went to the local library, hired out two weather books, one astronomy book. (Two I kept, one they got back. "The Weather Machine") but the rest as they say is history. Phil.

Interesting? I'll say. Shetland Coastie. STORY HERE Phil.

Ordered the book last night, Damienslaw and look forward to reading it. :lol: I would agree with the record breaking heat of August 2003, the Summer that never was in 2007. (20th July in particular!) But as you say, a shame that Robin Stirling is no longer with us. :lol: His first book issued in 1982 is certainly mesmerising, and as you say, a bit technical but in a sense that it's also easy to understand, even for the novice in understanding weather. Phil.

I saw one only last Monday night/Tuesday morning. I reckon at about mag -4, maybe mag -5. Wasn't even looking skyward until something bright caught my eye to my south east. Makes you wonder though why those not in the know think that we may be being invaded. Phil.

I can back up Mr Data's post on the April 1981 snowstorm. (Back up data! ... Ahem! Sorry! ) And maybe help you, TM and John H with your October '60s query. April 1981 was indeed warm with temperatures of over 20ºc but Winter returned with a vengeance between 20th and 27th of the month with maxima as low as 1ºc in Nottingham. On 23rd April, (or 27 years ago today to be pedantic!) there was prolonged snow over north east England and at Low Etherly in Co Durham, 23cm (9") of snow accumulated. Above 300 metres, there were up to 5 metre (16') drifts. On 24th April, Sheffield had 11cm (4") of snow. A daytime thaw followed by 26cm (10") on 25th and a further 11cm (4") on the morning of 26th. Snow depths for the morning of 25th April 1981 were : (According to data I have in front of me as I type, more on this source lower down in this reply.) 50cm (20") in the Peak District. 35cm (14") over the hills above Leominster. 20cm (8") at Cosby in Leicestershire. 10cm (4") at Hall Green in Birmingham. 8cm (3") at Axbridge, East Devon. 7cm (2.8") at Trowbridge in Wiltshire. To the east of a line from the Wash to Southampton, there was mostly heavy rain and especially over East Anglia where 90mm (3.5") fell in two days. ----------------------------------------------- TM and John Holmes... Only info I can find on that general area and date would be March 1965 where drifts of up to 3 metres (10') fell on Salisbury Plain and the Peak District receiving 35cm (14") on the same day. Also 15th/16th April 1966 saw widespread powdery snow with 15cm (6") accumulating on the North Downs. That's all the info I can muster at this time. Sorry if I can't be of more help. But now, as to my vast source of information... I'd say about 40% is my own knowledge but the other 60% generally comes from a book I borrowed from the local library in Solihull back in September 1989. (And I still have to this day. I'd hate to think what the fine would be now after 18 years and 7 months overdue! :blink: But I got interested in it so... ) The book is entitled : THE WEATHER OF BRITAIN by the now late Robin Stirling. First print was in 1982 but not sure if it still is now. If not then get up a petition to get it put back in print! However! There is a revised version with a foreword by Ian McCaskill and by the same author and can be brought from, (and which I plan to do in the very near future) I guess all good bookshops, Waterstones et al. Or... Here at Play.com : THE WEATHER OF BRITAIN : 1997 RELEASE for £19.99 or save £1 by ordering the same from Amazon. Phil.

Good luck guys. Stay safe. Oh, and be careful of these too whoever is driving. A SHERMAN tank might be required otherwise after you click on and watch this link below... MY CAR!!! (Ignore the flippin' advert at the beginning! <_< ) Phil.

As usual, great pics, Jurgen. I'll advise anyone though who are Saturn photography lovers that the rings are tilting back North so in about a year (September 2009 if I'm correct?) the rings will be edge on as visible from Earth. Phil.

Ok mate. Sorry I can't be of any more assistance at this time. Only other suggestion is that members change to GMT+1 in their profiles for now. Phil.

Paul, wouldn't the main Admin settings in yours and/or Karls control be able to add GMT+1? It works on mine but ficks up the other members time settings unless they leave unset themselves. SMF is no different but I had a major problem with my own forum, being hosted in LA, USA and decided to implement DST 3 weeks prior to ours. Just a thought otherwise. Try this though... (var thisoffset = tzo + dst;) Less () when adding to the code. Hope it works. Good luck. Phil.