Strange storm in 1990-ish - anyone know what was going on there?

[wisewoman]

Hello,

 

I am new to this forum so firstly - hello.

 

With the impending storms over the UK it reminded me of a fabulous light show of a storm that happened over Peterborough on the edge of East Anglia back in I think 1990 or possibly 89/91/92.

 

It had been a hot day and when the evening fell there was loads and loads and I mean *loads* of sheet type lightning but hardly any rain and I don't really recall there being much in the way of audible thunder either. I remember that the lightning was often so frequent, you would get flashes immediately after each other and for a second or two you got a much better than usual glimpse of a landscape illuminated by lightning. This light show carried on for *hours*.

 

I was wondering whether that was possibly Spanish plume related or a different event entirely?

 

I hope tomorrow gives a good show

 

Melissa

Edited July 18, 2014 by wisewoman

[BrickFielder]

Sounds like a Spanish plume where storms tend to be elevated and not surface based. Typically the base of the storm is 3000 feet or higher and with the high temperatures precipitation (rain) tends to evaporate before it reaches the ground.

[East_England_Stormchaser91]

Wish I'd been alive to witness that!