1.25" in 5 minutes: 10th August 1893

[Weather-history]

Here is a letter by Sydney Wilson who was the observer of this intense rainfall recorded at Preston's Corporation Offices on the 10th of August 1893 that has been a subject of controversy for many years.

Around this time period, there were some severe thunderstorms that struck various parts of the UK, here are some reports on these storms.

8th August: Carrablagh, Thunder and lightning in the SE about 8Pm and in the SW about 9pm gradually increasing and approaching; about midnight a great fall of rain took place; about 12.45am, the storms met and the display was most magnificent; about 1am the thunder and lightning were continuous.

9th August

Slough: Lightning all night

Oxford: Heavy thunder and almost continuous lightning at night.

Banbury: Vivid lightning most of the night.

Alderbury: Continuous lightning at night.

Shirenewton Hall: There were 11,540 flashes of lightning between east and north from 9pm till 2am on 10th.

Lisburn: Very severe thunderstorm, said to be the most severe for a considerable number of years.

Belfast: Thunder and lightning, the most vivif and continuous for many years

Ballymena: Great thunderstorm, unprecedented for many years.

10th August

Walthamstow: Thunderstorm in the early morning; in one minute 70 flashes of lightning were counted.

Bishop's Hill: Very severe thunderstorm early with almost incessant lightning of all colours.