Positive and Negative lightning

[mike57]

Wasn't sure where to post this, so if mods want to move it...

This morning at around 4.45 we were woken by a huge crash of thunder much louder than usual. It also caused the power to fail for a few tens of seconds. It wasn't particularly near I don't think, as it wasn't the gunshot effect. A look on social media indicated that it was heard over a wide area, up 4 to 5 miles away at least, and everyone commented on how loud it was, it woke people all over our area and Bridlington. In spite of now being awake I didn't hear any more rumbles and a quick check on the radar showed the nearest storms were some way away, off towards Beverley.

Doing a bit of Internet research turned up positive lightning. Could this have been positive lightning, would that explain why it was so loud, and heard over a wide area, with no storms in the immediate vicinity.

I would assume the extra energy would equate to louder thunder.

[NorthYorksWeather]

Whilst I have no answer to this Mike, just to back you up heres last nights lightning.

Strikes seems to be well south of Flamborough so odd you were woken by thunder.

 

[mike57]

3 minutes ago, vizzy2004 said:

Strikes seems to be well south of Flamborough so odd you were woken by thunder.

Wasnt just me - http://www.bridlingtonfreepress.co.uk/news/were-you-woken-by-booming-crack-of-thunder-1-8716717

Also quite a few Facebook posts

I've no doubt it was thunder, it sounded 'right' just VERY loud, and there was the power dip. If it had been a sub station exploding (which isnt unknown in Bridlington, age of infrastructure and sea air) then there would have been reports of widespread power cuts as something that was heard over 5 miles + area would have been a major bit of kit

 

 

[Speedway Slider]

Not all lightning is picked up by the detector network, I have been reliably informed that cloud to cloud, in cloud lightning more often than not is not detected.... However, a thunderclap like you're describing sounds like it should be the result of a positive ground strike.... I suppose it could have been missed by the detector grid...