The Bracknell Hailstorm Of 7 May 2000

[knocker]

This was a localised storm that crossed southern Bracknell (Berkshire) and caused some flooding. Although the first thunder was heard at around 7 p.m. (BST) most of the precipitation from the storm fell between 8 p.m. and 9.15 p.m. (BST). There were large hailstones up to 1.5 cm in diameter (some had a flattened, smarty shape). The lightning was mostly cloud to cloud with some intense cloud-to-ground strikes.

At Beaufort Park, Bracknell 65 mm fell in the space of about an hour and hailstones in excess of 1 cm diameter were measured. The 1961-90 average for the entire month is only 56 mm and this comes after the wettest April on record when Bracknell had over 3 times its normal rainfall amount.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/interesting/may2000brackstorm.html

An article by D. E. Pedgley on the storm.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1256/wea.22.02/pdf

[MP-R]

Very interesting read. I remember a storm on this day, though not until the late evening after a relatively warm day.