The No Storms Club 2010

[Thundery wintry showers]

But in his defence, not the real daytime and overnight storms that last several hours when occuring from an occulded front approaching from France. (1992 springs to mind)

Not seen anything like it since. But Jane bab... This could be our year. It's already unsettled and still only early June, reminds me somewhat of 1995 so anything goes. (Can TWS (Ian) claify this please mate if possible?)

Phil.

1992 was the year before I started observing the weather so I can't really help there. I recall suggestions that the summer half-year may have been a little above normal for thunderstorms.

As for 1995 (a year that I have particularly fond memories of), June did indeed begin unsettled, with a rather cool cloudy second week with northerly winds and then after the 20th June the rest of the summer was a scorcher. For thunder activity, Summer 1995 was if anythig a bit below average with a thundery July offset by a lack of thunderstorms in June and August, though it was closer to average than most other hot dry sunny summers are.

The period 10th-31st May 2010 was quite reminiscent of Spring 1995 with its frequent northerlies, localised snowfalls around the 11th and that sharp temperature contrast with the heatwave in the middle of the period, but March and April 2010, despite similar CET outturns, followed a rather different pattern. Thunder activity for January-May 1995 was near average, in contrast to the unusually thunder free January-May 2010.

[Severe Blizzard]

Hi, I haven't been on this forum for a while, mainly due to a lack of interesting weather!

Now we are in mid-June and yet again there is no sign of ANY thundery activity in Central Southern areas (I won't say S.E. like last summer and summer 2008, as London and the real S.E. got pasted leaving areas just to the west thunder-free on these occasions). Please can I rejoin the No Storms Club - I think I may qualify.

Rundown on thundery activity in the last YEAR (Guildford, Surrey).

(1) Tuesday 7th July 2009 - Heavy thundery showers in unstable westerly situation.

(2) Thursday 16th July 2009 - Heavy rain and thunder during evening as cold front edges in from S.W. against a S.E. surface flow.

(3) Friday 24th July 2009 - Slow moving thundery showers in an unstable westerly situation.

(4) Wednesday 2nd September 2009 - Single clap in evening heavy rain at Guildford. Missed as I was at Fleet where there was just heavy rain.

(5) Wednesday 2nd December 2009 - Single clap in late afternoon torrential showers at the end of a long wet period and before the cold winter.

(6) Thursday 25th March - Teatime torrential rain with thunder as cold front moves N.E.

So, a major lack of thunder and with all this anticyclonic weather here to stay, the 3rd consecutive totally thunder-free June likely now.

Here's hoping to some nice surprises. Plume situations are pretty useless in this part of the U.K. as all we seem to get these days are Kent clippers, so slow moving unstable N.W. situation showers with cool upper air may be the only way to get the goods again this year.

[Phil UK]

Please can I rejoin the No Storms Club - I think I may qualify.

Of course you can. I have me a feeling that there will be a few more members, ex NSC members and new ones joining up before the Summer is out.

Phil.

1992 was the year before I started observing the weather so I can't really help there. I recall suggestions that the summer half-year may have been a little above normal for thunderstorms.

As for 1995 (a year that I have particularly fond memories of), June did indeed begin unsettled, with a rather cool cloudy second week with northerly winds and then after the 20th June the rest of the summer was a scorcher. For thunder activity, Summer 1995 was if anythig a bit below average with a thundery July offset by a lack of thunderstorms in June and August, though it was closer to average than most other hot dry sunny summers are.

The period 10th-31st May 2010 was quite reminiscent of Spring 1995 with its frequent northerlies, localised snowfalls around the 11th and that sharp temperature contrast with the heatwave in the middle of the period, but March and April 2010, despite similar CET outturns, followed a rather different pattern. Thunder activity for January-May 1995 was near average, in contrast to the unusually thunder free January-May 2010.

Thanks for your input, Ian. I do remember the latter half of that Summer (1992) being excessively hot with temperatures exceeding 30ºc on a number of days during the month of August.

Phil.

[ZONE 51]

Hi, I haven't been on this forum for a while, mainly due to a lack of interesting weather!

Now we are in mid-June and yet again there is no sign of ANY thundery activity in Central Southern areas (I won't say S.E. like last summer and summer 2008, as London and the real S.E. got pasted leaving areas just to the west thunder-free on these occasions). Please can I rejoin the No Storms Club - I think I may qualify.

Rundown on thundery activity in the last YEAR (Guildford, Surrey).

(1) Tuesday 7th July 2009 - Heavy thundery showers in unstable westerly situation.

(2) Thursday 16th July 2009 - Heavy rain and thunder during evening as cold front edges in from S.W. against a S.E. surface flow.

(3) Friday 24th July 2009 - Slow moving thundery showers in an unstable westerly situation.

(4) Wednesday 2nd September 2009 - Single clap in evening heavy rain at Guildford. Missed as I was at Fleet where there was just heavy rain.

(5) Wednesday 2nd December 2009 - Single clap in late afternoon torrential showers at the end of a long wet period and before the cold winter.

(6) Thursday 25th March - Teatime torrential rain with thunder as cold front moves N.E.

So, a major lack of thunder and with all this anticyclonic weather here to stay, the 3rd consecutive totally thunder-free June likely now.

Here's hoping to some nice surprises. Plume situations are pretty useless in this part of the U.K. as all we seem to get these days are Kent clippers, so slow moving unstable N.W. situation showers with cool upper air may be the only way to get the goods again this year.

i need storms still waiting and they will come.....

cant forget summer 2006 the heatwave and world cup..then in mid july violent thunderstorms lashed surrey severe floods in walton/weybridge with houses on fire from strikes ..then what followed was lots of storms until end of summer quite afew amazing night storms visible around(was in weybridge at the time..

[Mesoscale]

It's just been absolutely sick for us hasn't it, never known anything like the last 2 months, we've been within only 10-20 miles of the Storm bands every damn time.

London has been a MASSIVE storm shield this year, everyone just outside London in all directions has seen something so far this year but for main London the sick piece of crap shield has deflected everything.

Check out the latest radar forecast on the Meto and watch todays storms just missing the west of London - YET AGAIN

Yeah its like the M25 is the border for the stormshield.

london has had a very very quite period, lets hope for more activity. Last time I had a decent storm (excluding florida august 2009) was in late june last year.

Still quite early in the year and we still have about 2 and a half months left. I haven't seen a quiet period like this ever I dont think, I always remember there being april showers in march/april time that would bring some claps of thunder along and when I was even younger I remember vividly that there used to be a hell of a lot of night time storms as i used to be quite affraid of them.

Lets just hope all this changes soon.

Edited June 15, 2010 by Mesodiscussion

[Evening thunder]

Don't think I've officially joined this club yet, but I think I'd better ask to if that's ok

Still not the slightest hint of thunder this year at all. I'd have thought I'd have had something by now but not so, this year every chance at convection seems to go around us and on the very few occasions the SW has seen any 'decent' convection, even showers, the wind has been in the wrong direction here (off the sea). Even in the last few poor years something had happened by now.

Last year we had a few days with the odd rumble or a few distant flashes, and how about this for luck, we had one 'decent' storm last year on the 15th June that just happened to occur for the hour I was stuck indoors in an exam!

There have been no good summer storms or plume event storms since 2006 when I decided I wanted to film and possibly try and photograph lightning, before this there always seemed to be a couple good events in a summer.

Things are not looking good for now if this pattern of north Atlantic ridge continues as I imagine its about the worst possible set up for storms.. Oh well we have all summer I guess, and sorry about that little rant there

Edited June 15, 2010 by StormMad26

[Phil UK]

You're more than welcome to join, StormMad26.

I'm glad you mentioned 15th June 2009. I completely forgot that it was also on the same day that we in Solihull had our most severe, and longest lasting thunderstorm of the Summer. 1 year ago. Gosh!

Convection fired up early and by 12pm, there were already visible Cb towers in sight. Then at 2:15pm, all hell broke loose and lasted for a good hour and 15 minutes.

As for the last Spanish plume I can recall, I'm going back nigh on five years and I remember this distinctly because it was the same day that there was the Battle of Trafalgar celebrations going on in Portsmouth. (28th June 2005).

The day was hot and oppressive but by late afternoon, the skies darkened rapidly and the lower base cloud structure was evident that there was a storm nearby, and sure enough, less than half hour later, it all kicked off. Not seen anything of the like since.

Phil.

[Jane Louise]

Hi new members... fingers crossed for the rest of Summer and Autumn for storms. We must be patient, I think July and early August could be good. But way to early to tell just yet.

[Evening thunder]

Thanks Phil UK and Jane Louise

Now why didn't it pass my mind that it was 1 year ago today when I was writing that post! I remember a torrential downpour in the morning, and then at lunch time there was a nice CB to the west and as I went into my exam I thought 'hmm typical I bet that's going to be a thunderstorm now' and sure enough there was! there was very heavy rain with probably about 20-30 rumbles and some flashes though of course I couldn't see very well.

Ah yes the 28th June 2005, I think that was the date when a large MCS moved up and delivered thunderstorms lasting for several hours in the early hours and the morning with torrential rain at times, one of my best memories of storms, although that could have been the 24th as I think there were thunderstorms on both days! In fact I've just remembered it was the ones that caused the Glastonbury flood, but my memory still fails me on the date!

There were a couple good storms in 2006 here, one in particular lasting 1 hour in the early morning in late June again that was more local and gave frequent lightning with torrential rain dropping an inch in an hour. Since then, nothing like it. Those storms may have made this lack seem worse as they are what I grew up with.

I hope your right Jane, lets hope for something this year

Edited June 16, 2010 by StormMad26

[Phil UK]

Thanks Phil UK and Jane Louise

No problemmo.

although that could have been the 24th as I think there were thunderstorms on both days! In fact I've just remembered it was the ones that caused the Glastonbury flood, but my memory still fails me on the date!

You are spot on mate as a slow moving warm front moved north east with very heavy rain and mud bathed Glastonbury had just begun. (It was a Friday and I've never been so soaked in all my life walking such a short distance from corner shop back home).

I hope your right Jane, lets hope for something this year

We, Jane Louise and Phil UK hope all in the UK see a storm or two over the Summer months. Only club I've ever joined where I wish we had NO members. But, and I'll say, and on behalf of Jane no doubt that we wish you would leave us and see your own storms and report into the relevant sections of this forum. Any pics or videos taken would be a bonus.

Also. And as I'm sure Jane Louise would also agree... No need to ask permission to join. If you feel storm deprived, then please feel free to join. Membership totally free and we look forward to any input of the tales of woe/joy.

In the meantime, best of luck and let's see what the rest of June/July/August/September has to offer.

Phil.

[Andy Bown]

Ah yes the 28th June 2005, I think that was the date when a large MCS moved up and delivered thunderstorms lasting for several hours in the early hours and the morning with torrential rain at times, one of my best memories of storms, although that could have been the 24th as I think there were thunderstorms on both days! In fact I've just remembered it was the ones that caused the Glastonbury flood, but my memory still fails me on the date!

The 24th had a trailing cold front across the West Country from overnight and through until early afternoon. There were probably some MCS events associated with it as well as numerous rapid developing small storms that I recall. There were 9 separate storms between 04.00-13.00 here!! It was the Friday of Glastonbury.

The 28th isn't so clear in my memory although my records state a hot, humid, sunny day with thundery showers/storms moving North in the late afternoon and evening.

Blimey, recalling 9 storms in 9 hours, and not having had one for nearing 2 years, is quite a contrast!!!!!!!!

[Jane Louise]

You're welcome stormMad26

I agree with Phil, hopefully this club will be empty by the end of this year. I so hope everybody gets something even it is only a couple of rumbles.I must admit though, even though I had a couple of rumbles I was sooo pleased espicially because I hadn't had a storm for so long.

We used to get some really good storms around here, some were pretty scarey , the last one probably last 10 minutes with 3 rumbles of thunder and 2 flashes of lightning. I tried filming it but my blinkin webcam kept falling off the windowsill lol and then it got soaked from the rain grrrrr lol So all I ended up recording was my carpet.

Anyway, here's hoping for some cool storms... I await the next storm forecast .

[Coast]

I agree with Phil, hopefully this club will be empty by the end of this year.

Well this thread is more popular than Convective Discussion at the moment and I think that tells us something!!!!

[ZONE 51]

heres an interesting read , something we dont really think about these days do we?

PRECAUTIONS during THUNDERSTORMS .

The Morning Post (London, England), Thursday, August 28, 1817; Issue 14540. 19th Century British Library Newspapers: Part II.

Edited June 17, 2010 by nimbilus

[Evening thunder]

We, Jane Louise and Phil UK hope all in the UK see a storm or two over the Summer months. Only club I've ever joined where I wish we had NO members. But, and I'll say, and on behalf of Jane no doubt that we wish you would leave us and see your own storms and report into the relevant sections of this forum. Any pics or videos taken would be a bonus.

Also. And as I'm sure Jane Louise would also agree... No need to ask permission to join. If you feel storm deprived, then please feel free to join. Membership totally free and we look forward to any input of the tales of woe/joy.

In the meantime, best of luck and let's see what the rest of June/July/August/September has to offer.

Phil.

Thanks Phil, I would also like to say I hope everyone here sees something good over the summer storm wise. I will report back with anything I see:)

The 24th had a trailing cold front across the West Country from overnight and through until early afternoon. There were probably some MCS events associated with it as well as numerous rapid developing small storms that I recall. There were 9 separate storms between 04.00-13.00 here!! It was the Friday of Glastonbury.

The 28th isn't so clear in my memory although my records state a hot, humid, sunny day with thundery showers/storms moving North in the late afternoon and evening.

Blimey, recalling 9 storms in 9 hours, and not having had one for nearing 2 years, is quite a contrast!!!!!!!!

Thanks for that, I couldn't remember the exact set up. I remember lots of thunderstorms and very heavy rain in the early morning, probably from around 2-3am. Sometimes it was dry here while watching quite frequent lightning towards Exeter. Then when the main lot had cleared another small storm developed here too sometime around noon. That certainly is a big contrast!!

You're welcome stormMad26:)

I agree with Phil, hopefully this club will be empty by the end of this year. I so hope everybody gets something even it is only a couple of rumbles.I must admit though, even though I had a couple of rumbles I was sooo pleased espicially because I hadn't had a storm for so long.

We used to get some really good storms around here, some were pretty scarey , the last one probably last 10 minutes with 3 rumbles of thunder and 2 flashes of lightning. I tried filming it but my blinkin webcam kept falling off the windowsill lol and then it got soaked from the rain grrrrr lol So all I ended up recording was my carpet.

Anyway, here's hoping for some cool storms... I await the next storm forecast .

I'm glad you had a storm even if it was just a small one. I would be happy to even see a couple rumbles too. The end of next week is beginning to look interesting but of course its a long way off at the moment.

That is an interesting article nimbilus, especially the 1st rule which says to stand still after lightning until you hear the thunder!

Edited June 18, 2010 by StormMad26

[gpspete]

a the moment I qualify for the no storms club in UK but I see plenty on the netweather stormchase tour 2 a month back got severe withdrawal symptoms please help

[Weather-history]

Not heard a single rumble of thunder this year so far. The last time I definitely recall hearing thunder was last September.

[dogs32]

iTs not looking great for the future either at present for any Spanish Plume with MCS...

Last year was bad for us,surely this cant be a repeat performance...

[Mesoscale]

So far its worse then last year! the last big sotmr i had was in june 2009 on the 25th or the 27th i cant remember which one!

unless it pics up soon its going down as the worst storm year ive ever had!

Any mone it picks up through the begining half of july as im not here, im in mexico!

[dogs32]

Im still going for August and September...seems the best time for here anyway..

[Jane Louise]

Yes, I agree September can be quite a good month. Here's hoping

[Jane Louise]

I have been following the model output thread and hoping daily that this thundery breakdown will happen at the end of next week. Let's hope the storm risk really upgrades before the end of next week.

[Costa Del Fal]

I know its been a very quiet year so far but im really enjoying this lovely weather because its such a great opportunity to be outside and enjoy what summer has to offer. After all for the last 3 summers we have complained how rubbish its been but right now its completely the opposite. Be out and enjoy it i say.

[Summer of 95]

No thunder or lightning here this year; it does seem unusual to be nearly in July without any. Especially as we've had a few of what seemed like "3 fine days and a thunderstorm" setups- they either ended in non-thundery showers or just cloud.

August has been thundery in the past here though (2004 and 1999 spring to mind); but I can't remember an August that's had a good storm or two and been dry, warm and sunny for the most part like June 2005 or May 1992 for instance. Thundery Augusts are usaually dull and wet.

[Thundery wintry showers]

It may depend on your area of the country- Augusts 1996 and 2000 achieved that distinction over some areas of the country, although not as emphatically as May 1992.