Glastonbury Thunderstorm 2005

[Mountain Snow]

Was anyone else at the festival that year? Whilst watching the sunrise at the stone circle on the Friday 24th June, a rumour was spreading about a big thunderstorm approaching. Around 5/6am a typical British storm past through, satisfied I went to bed only to be awoken soon after by a storm of biblical proportions. Thunder and lightning continued for around 5 hours, on emerging from my tent we went for a explore of the site. The previous days had been very hot with the ground baked hard, the torrential rain had just ran straight off the fields down to the bottom of the valley where the main site sits. The first obstacle was a river, 6ft wide, 1ft deep, which had formed in the field washing tents away in its path. Three big lakes had formed in the main site, one of which was 4ft deep where it backed up against an abandoned railway line. Not pleasant watching the police divers searching tents, luckily no bodies were found.

 

All the stages had been hit by lightning, knocking power out and a beer tent had been hit and partially melted. Thankfully once the storm passed the sun came back out and the mud slowly dried out, even enough to be sat on by the Sunday afternoon. Really added to the festival atmosphere!

 

One of the best storms I've experienced and unfortunately the last severe storm in this country, coming up to 8 years.  

 

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=glastonbury%20floods%202005

[Evening thunder]

I remember that event, although not at the festival myself. I remember storms and torrential rain here for a few hours with nearby thunderstorms at other times like the early hours giving quite frequent lightning. Some spectacular and close lightning during the storms that were overhead too. I remember later hearing the news reports of Glastonbury as the system passed to the north east, although we might not have been hit as hard as Glastonbury was.

 

There were definitely some severe storms in this country on the 28th June last year though and possibly other dates since then, unless you mean ones you've witnessed?

[Mountain Snow]

Yes I mean it's been 8 years since I've seen a proper storm in this country. We caught the edge of that massive storm that hit Newcastle last June but just had a few rumbles, it intensified as it past over the Pennines, heading NE. 

[Mesoscale]

Never been to Glastonbury myself but in 2007 I went to Evolve 8 festival in Nova Scotia, Canada we had a huge storm that knocked out all the power, it was one of the scariest nights of my life!

Was scary being in a tent during the intense lightning that lasted till about 3:30am luckily the next day we were packing up to head back to Montreal. It was nice weather up until the last night. I would of hated it if it had turned out like Glastonbury with that much water and mud. I think that would have ruined it, it was muddy but nto as muddy as those pictures.

 

Not my video but here is a video at that event somebody shot:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_StTg-k8jU 

 

 

Edited June 15, 2013 by Mesoscale

[Weather-history]

Forecast from 24th June 2005

[Andy Bown]

That day was my favourite ever weather day with 9 separate thunderstorms affecting Westbury (Wiltshire) between 04.00 and 13.00! I don't think I've ever seen a forecast from that day until now so thank you for posting it Mr Data.

[Weather-history]

The thunderstorms caused this tornado near Coventry