General Storm Discussion Thread

[vortex_liam]

Yesterday's downpours gave 20mm of rain making it the wettest 24 hours since 19 March!

Some excellent forecasting yesterday on the local BBC Points West showing showers drifting South overnight

to be affecting Wiltshire first thing then decaying by late morning. I got caught in 2 downpours between

07.00 - 08.30 and the rain in the first one was just as heavy as the heaviest yesterday!

Liam, just wondering, how old are you?

42 years young ... My son managed to get on my account

[staplehurst]

Well Eastbourne has seen the most rain today in the southeast, locally as much as 14mm in the past 4 hours, whilst elsewhere it's been bone dry.

[snow raven]

42 years young ... My son managed to get on my account

Is this your first post?

[Paul Sherman]

Well Eastbourne has seen the most rain today in the southeast, locally as much as 14mm in the past 4 hours, whilst elsewhere it's been bone dry.

It is incredible to watch - Almost like a Mini Version of the Colorado Upslope we get in the US.

Looks like the Onshore Breeze is riding up against the South Downs which is creating enough Lift to build the showers and the prevailing Northerly is pushing them onto the Coast, and repeat.......and repeat LOL

Pretty easy chase target in that case

Paul S

[Nick F]

Just been up to Wye Downs and had a look over Romney marsh, fantastic line of rapidly forming scud which looked very dramatic! As you say, it all mainly offshore at the moment, do you still think we will see more inland convection? I'm having doubts now!

Unless the sea breeze strengthens inland, it may just stick to the coast.

May head down towards Eastbourne or Hastings after work, just hope the cells hold for the next few hours!

[Coast]

Well Eastbourne has seen the most rain today in the southeast, locally as much as 14mm in the past 4 hours, whilst elsewhere it's been bone dry.

Not sure where that's coming from then as my other half says there has only been a short, sharp shower and little else. Offical Eastbourne weather site shows 4.4mm in the last hour.

Current sky in in Benny Hill, Mid Sussex (CLICK ON PIC TO PLAY MOVIE)

Unless the sea breeze strengthens inland, it may just stick to the coast.

I wish! :lol:

[staplehurst]

Not sure where that's coming from then as my other half says there has only been a short, sharp shower and little else. Offical Eastbourne weather site shows 4.4mm in the last hour.

It's been more towards Pevensey really.

[Azores Hi]

Pretty easy chase target in that case

Paul S

It's very tempting Paul. It's a cruel world! Time enough at lunchtime to see the potential but had to come back to the office. I'm not hopefull of seeing much by the time I get down there, won't be until 5:30 at the earliest, but Winchelsea beach, Dungie or Rye is probably where I will head if I go at all. :lol:

[MR CB]

Well I was driving this morning and the Cumulus just built up very quickly (almost from nothing)...each shower seems to get heavier and last longer. Heavy burst has now cleared...hope we'll get a rumble later?

[Coast]

It's been more towards Pevensey really.

That'll water my garden then, I live 3 miles from there!

Lots of skud underneath the low cloud over the downs, I really should be working but as my office looks straight down into Lewes and beyond to Eastbourne, I'm desperate to catch something starting to rotate!

[Paul Sherman]

Storm Season in the UK This year is a load of

:lol:

[staplehurst]

Storm Season in the UK This year is a load of

:lol:

Having delved into my old records from 2006 it seems that this location saw 24 thunder days in 2006 - this year we've had 2 thus far. It is really quite difficult to understand why, not only just this location, but essentially the majority of central and southern Britain has had such a poor year for storms.

[<<Ryan>>]

Well, just got in, bit upset about the turn out for today. Can't see much happening for a while now

[Azores Hi]

Well, looks a bit pants now. No chasing for me later!

[Harry]

Having delved into my old records from 2006 it seems that this location saw 24 thunder days in 2006 - this year we've had 2 thus far. It is really quite difficult to understand why, not only just this location, but essentially the majority of central and southern Britain has had such a poor year for storms.

Something is very much wrong IMO...I think in general though this year has been the year of the Blocking High - on many occasions both summer and winter, we've been hit by blocking highs, and none of them in ideal areas/orientations conducive to decent thunderstorm outbreaks.

We normally do well when we have Lows which approach from the SW, scoop up moisture and heat from the far south, and then bump into a very unstable moisture plume, i.e the spanish plume, and then bang. What we've been lacking is the spanish plume element - we've not had one, proper spanish plume this year...yes, we've had a lot of heat and quite a lot of humidity, but it's been the 'bit more stable' variety... This is clear by how successful Benelux have been and how poor we've been - if you draw a diagonal SSW to NNE line, the Spanish plateau, which provides a lot of instablity by layering dry air on top of the less stable moister air ,has not been influencing our weather at all whereas in an average year, it will happen on (sometimes) several occasions.

Benelux lies on this SSW to NNE line, whereas London is in line with the Atlantic (clipping NW France and NW Spain/Portugal)...we need a good S/SE flow for at least a couple of days, and then we're in business....when that'll be however, probably 2015 at this rate!

Edited July 23, 2010 by Harry

[Azores Hi]

..we need a good S/SE flow for at least a couple of days, and then we're in business....when that'll be however, probably 2015 at this rate!

I'll tell you when. It'll be September, when I'm 600 miles away camping in Southern France, I'll be under torrential, non-thundery rain. While everyone back home enjoys the lightshow

[ZONE 51]

Something is very much wrong....We normally do well

just edited your post harry

you put it in the pan there good post!

[Tom Montalbano]

A salient lesson to us all this summer in as much as we've had higher temps in general in the last few months, at least here in the South East, than say the last few summers but just as cold in winter doesnt always equate to snow, heat doesnt always equate to thunderstorms in summer.

Regards,

Tom.

[Neilsouth]

FOR LIAM..SORRY for the langugae..rather excited

WOW! that first one was amazing! :yahoo:

But mrdog's seriously don't put music in storm video's , if i wanted music i'd go to a nightclub

Edited July 23, 2010 by neilsouth

[ZONE 51]

these showers today are just of the kent coast between eastbourne to hastings up to new romney, maybe a waterspout may form just out to sea .. you dont need lightning for a funnel i dont think?

[Joey.G]

Thought the radar was broken for a second when I first looked at it, wheres all the showers for the East today? Unlucky guys!

Since its quiet, heres a pic of the Storm I chased in Worcestershire/Glostershire yesterday afternoon, I will make a blog post with more photos soon.

[ZONE 51]

next tuesday is looking good for thundery activity on GFS for england

amazing photos

[vortex_liam]

The radar says it is raining but its dry... probally evaporateing before it hits the ground

[dogs32]

Thought the radar was broken for a second when I first looked at it, wheres all the showers for the East today? Unlucky guys!

Since its quiet, heres a pic of the Storm I chased in Worcestershire/Glostershire yesterday afternoon, I will make a blog post with more photos soon.

excellent Joey...first clas pic..

cheers Neil

Neil next time just for you im going to put Vivaldi

a speacial dedication

I will let you know Neil when its done for you...they dont play vivaldi in night clubs

Edited July 23, 2010 by Pat Carter

[Andy Bown]

these showers today are just of the kent coast between eastbourne to hastings up to new romney, maybe a waterspout may form just out to sea .. you dont need lightning for a funnel i dont think?

No you don't. The tornado I saw in Westbury, Wiltshire in 2001 was from a non thundery shower.