weatherobsuk

A max temperature of 17.5'c (so far) today near Buxton and it's turning out to be better than what this morning's MWIS forecast was predicting, a bit more cloud has developed since midday but it's still pleasantly mild when the sun makes a re-appearance. Just been for a short stroll around Whaley Moor and the local Bluebell Woodlands to make the best of it and to test out a new Canon EF-M lens for the M50ii.

A updated on the family that Freddy McKinney rescued... having a niece and nephew it hits home a little harder when there's children injured

Same storm going back NorthWest, just caught onto Reed's stream when they were on the outer edge and picking up the two folks hiding in the ditch.

The north of Derby cell is looking interesting

Sprites I was kind of expecting it reading the Brize Norton, LGW, Southampton METARs, but the further down south I was driving the further back north i'd had to get afterwards if things had been just 20 miles a bit north then i'd have been in the early model-run forecast before things went more westwards on the 18Z. At least there was something to see and I got good miles on the i10 clocking just under half a tank for a 330'ish mile round trip compared to the Ford KA it was less-stressing not having to worry about fuelling up.

Sprites No direct lightning bolts from where I was although there was a belter of a positive strike that had a well-defined Sprite jump out ahead of it in the clearer skies overhead. I did re-position down to Didcot for a closer view but the low cloud-base and early twilight made things difficult to see before 'calling it' a night at 4:30am. The Aurora was earlier than predicted yesterday evening, peaking at around 8am and it's that time of year when astronomy spotting/photography gets increasingly more difficult until mid-September, although we do have the NLC season about to begin which i'm hoping is still amplified due to the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai eruption of 2022.

Thundery rain now is beginning to make it's way inland off the Norfolk coast this early morning although an average of only 4 strikes per minute are being picked up on the real-time lightning map. With persistent cloud-cover set to limit visibility all day it doesn't look to be anything noteworthy except for anyone on the East Coast that will be directly underneath the heavier cores.

Funnel Cloud reported near Abilene, TX

Glad there's people out there like Freddy, thankfully he was in the right time at the right place.

The PIT JustIcelandic's recent video states that Icelandic volcanologists are expecting another eruption imminently (some are saying a day or two up to 7 days) although they be definitively sure that the next one will erupt along the same fissure-sequence as there's currently a seismic blackspot due to the liquified crust subduing any indicating tremors.

Purplepixii There was definitely one positive strike that I saw from my location away from the main core and I suspect could have been the one that hit the nursing home at Elmer given it was in that general area directly south, there was a Sprite less than 1/2 a second before the entire sky in that direction completely lit-up whilst every-other lightning flash I saw mostly required averted vision to see. UK weather: Thunderstorm warning after storms hit UK overnight WWW.BBC.CO.UK Storms move into the Midlands and Wales after lightning causes damage in southern England overnight.

Temps peaked at 21.2'c in Buxton this afternoon, a shame I missed out on a good hiking day after a impromptu trip 'down south' for some overnight storm chasing but at least tomorrow might see a bit of convective potential for the eastern side of the Pennines.

Rush2019 I'm tempted to head out for tomorrow morning's potential but it depends on timings as I wouldn't want to be going as far as Newark-on-Trent if the sun is already up by the time any potential cells get there. Off to catch up on some well deserved sleep, dream of motorways, and see what the afternoon/evening models are predicting for later on.

This early morning's efforts from the phone at least two before the low-cloud and murk rolled in just as things were getting interesting. Under those clear skies above it was constant flickering for a time, especially noticeable when averting my vision just off-center. There was also a Sprite seen visually between some ACCAS which caught me off guard but just for seeing that alone the trip was worth it. The whole thing happened quicker than my brain could register what I was looking (like electric finger-ripples shooting upwards) and then it was gone, followed by a positive CG strike that lit the whole part of that sky.

A 7hr round trip and i'm finally back home after having a scenic tour of the Chilterns from Bicester, Oxford, and Benson. There was some close strikes at times during the early morning hours at 4am but the convective line frustratingly refused to move anymore northwards and I wasn't up for heading further south knowing it would take longer getting back. So with the twilight chorus and skies getting lighter I called it a night and headed back along the never-ending M40. Here's hoping early morning Friday delivers for the East and North Midlands

Pulled off the phone so not the best quality (saving the M50ii battery for when things get nearer) but the anvil as it was approaching the South Coast is huge. It seems a lot of it has now gotten rain-wrapped with the cells that are currently developing the convective line.

Holy moly just saw my first Sprite (lightning not the drink) just missed out getting it on a timelapse as it was well above some ACCAS.

Seeing the occasional lightning flash to the SW here at Bicester now, hoping those cells now moving into East London use all the CAPE available to keep sustained until at least 4am.

After a 3hr drive I'm finally parked up near Bicester just as the first of the evenings cells begin to cross the channel. Compared to up north it definitely feels more humid and thundery in the air. Fingers crossed for the next few hours.

Brize Norton METAR looks interesting.. Temporary from 02 at 01 UTC to 02 at 08 UTC Visibility: 2000 m thunderstorm, rain, showers, small hail or snow pellets METAR TAF : RAF Brize Norton, Brize Norton England EN.ALLMETSAT.COM METAR TAF : Current weather observation and Forecast, Brize Norton RAF Brize Norton England

Frosty hollows Assuming the models remain consistent i'll be setting up shop NE of Oxford between the Costwolds & Chilterns, it's a almost a 3hr straight-run down the M1 from where I live and there's always the options of using the M40, A34, A420 just incase the system moves further south than modelled. Its the first chase in my new car so i'm hoping to avoid any hail cores whilst getting the best of any lightning show within the dry inflow. Good luck to y'all also out chasing later on.

I've been flipping between Reading, Portsdown Hill, Surrey Hills, and finally made a decision that i'll try and position closer to Bicester as google maps has come up trumps with a spot that has a expansive 180 view from the SE to SW. The problem chasing in the south is finding somewhere facing directly south that has parking and isn't surrounded by trees (ie. Surrey Hills). The slight northerly trend and cells forming within the MSC boundary outflow puts me in good confidence that there'll at least be something to see away from the heavier PPN core, even if it's not a direct hit.

It sure is a tricky one to chase tonight as this morning's model runs have shifted things a bit south again, with the UKV now having a few home-grown storms breaking out over Reading at 2am to add to the complexity. The local METAR forecasts in the south aren't looking too promising with low-cloud bases (base level at 300ft with 1.8mi vis at Brize Norton for example) as the MSC complex becomes embedded within the warm-front. It's looking less likely i'll be chasing now based on the visibility forecast, but if things change then it's 'only' a 4hr drive