Severe thunderstorms in the UK/Ireland, August 31 2005: a Modified Spanish Plume Event?

[JoshStundon1]

Hello all. 

So I am a weather nurd who is blind and was curious if anyone on here remembers the severe thunderstorms in the Uk and Ireland on August 31st 2005? 

I live in Ireland and, they were easily some of the most violent thunderstorms that I remember  , even compared to the thunderstorms we had in 2020 and last year. 

It seems to be an event that has been largely forgotten, but if I recall, August 31 2005 was one of the hottest days of that summer. 

 

A low pressure system moved north from the bay of biscay to southeast Ireland. A surface cold front pushed across Ireland and W scotland, with a strong jet streak and strong qg forcing ahead of it which lead to severe thunderstorms ahead of it especially over Ireland. 

 

I have read many convective outlooks over the years but have rarely read one like the one issued on August 31 2005. In the years since, I also don’t recall an event like this one so late into August. 

Perhaps this was a modified Spanish Plume event, or an extention of a Spanish Plume that moved into Ireland?

It seems that England didn’t get many thunderstorms on that day, but Ireland got hammered though, especially southwest and Eastern Ireland

Many severe thunderstorms in Ireland are extentions of Spanish Plume setups. Here is the convective forecast issued by estofex on that day. 

 

New Forecast

[Tamsin]

On 16/02/2023 at 02:16, JoshStundon1 said:

... Here is the convective forecast issued by estofex on that day. 

 

I don't see the link.  I wish I could remember what I was doing that long ago!

[JoshStundon1]

https://www.estofex.org/forecasts/outlook/html/200508311030cf.html

[Met.]

I heard a lot about this all over the midlands and north, but living in Buxton, Derbs at the time, I remember absolutely nothing about it - and I sure would have done had it happened at my location, since that date is my birthday. I think it must have completely gone in a circle around NW Derbyshire. Remember absolutely nothing happening.

[JoshStundon1]

What I remember most about the event was the sweltering heat and humidity , the torrential rain and deafening thunder and the windows ratteling and my grandmothers house vibrating which I had never before experienced in Ireland! Apparently forecasters the day before had underestimated the severity of the storms . Unfortunately I can’t find any other convective outlooks on this event nor any footage of the storms nor any archives of met eireann forecasts. Either way, going by the convective forecast it definitely seems like it was a plume-like setup, all be it much further north, I am aware that many spanish plume setups tend to favor southeast England.