Storms and Convective discussion - June 2023

[Metwatch]

7 minutes ago, Eagle Eye said:

I do wonder what the max recorded in the UK is. I seem to have the numbers 2003 3300 to 4300 J/KG  of SBCAPE in my head.

One for @staplehurst to answer I think.

 

Just a moment...

RMETS.ONLINELIBRARY.WILEY.COM

This paper, some written by Dan Holley (who is staplehurst) could be useful too, quoted: the highest CAPE across Great Britain during Spanish plumes can locally exceed 3000 J kg−1. In an average year, 15 days produce CAPE in excess of 500 J kg−1 somewhere in Great Britain, 4 days > 1000 J kg−1 and 1 day > 1500 J kg−1

Edited June 11, 2023 by Metwatch

[Sparkiee storm]

4 minutes ago, Peachy said:

What hill were you on?

I was up on Barr beacon and it was amazing to see it incoming from the east.

Not sure if it has a name, but its right next to the M6 near Bentley in Walsall, a good view to the North, East and South East even though its not as high as Barr Beacon. Probably was an even better view up there.

Edited June 11, 2023 by Sparkiee storm

[Dangerous55019]

The sound of distant thunder

So after an afternoon of distant rumblings of thunder on the t’other side of the Clwydian Range, the atmosphere changed at around 17:00… It felt much cooler and fresher… An hour later at 18:00 I threw the towel in on getting a thunderstorm today.

Needless to say that the sky started to turn a strange orange colour, and then it clouded over… Then just after 21:30, the sky started to turn dark… Very dark… Black even! And then low and behold, I’m treated to a nocturnal rattler!

A very high elevation storm, but I’m certainly not complaining.

Three storms in two days!! Fingers crossed for another day of storms tomorrow.

Here’s a couple of this evenings high elevation storm over the south side of the Wirral.

@SarahWxm @Foxgloves and everyone else of course… Here’s a few pics that I managed to get from this evenings storm.

[Harry]

…another couple of strikes…

edit - and some more…hope all of our SE coast contingent haven’t all given up for the night. They’d be getting a bit of a light display at the moment 

Edited June 11, 2023 by Harry

[staplehurst]

8 minutes ago, Metwatch said:

One for @staplehurst to answer I think.

 

Just a moment...

RMETS.ONLINELIBRARY.WILEY.COM

This paper, some written by Dan Holley (who is staplehurst) could be useful too, quoted: the highest CAPE across Great Britain during Spanish plumes can locally exceed 3000 J kg−1. In an average year, 15 days produce CAPE in excess of 500 J kg−1 somewhere in Great Britain, 4 days > 1000 J kg−1 and 1 day > 1500 J kg−1

Yeah, the one caveat about that paper (it's over 10 years old now, based on my final year dissertation in 2012-13) is it was based on idealised WRF simulations to analyse sea breezes and so probably wasn't the best configuration/physics schemes for convection. Would be good to redo that paper someday with more useful physics schemes and a longer time period perhaps.

Edited June 11, 2023 by staplehurst

[WeatherArc]

10 minutes ago, Mapantz said:

But the GFS has a tendency to ramp dew points, resulting in silly SBCAPE values?! Even the -10 LI looks rather extreme.

Don't get me wrong, there will be a lot of energy, but as extreme as the GFS suggests?

Yeah im questioning it as the chart shows MLCAPE being much, much lower in comparison to SBCAPE. It is interesting that the GFS has really ramped CAPE up for tomorrow over the past few runs so maybe it's sensing something?

Edited June 11, 2023 by WeatherArc

[SarahWxm]

5 minutes ago, Dangerous55019 said:

The sound of distant thunder

So after an afternoon of distant rumblings of thunder on the t’other side of the Clwydian Range, the atmosphere changed at around 17:00… It felt much cooler and fresher… An hour later at 18:00 I threw the towel in on getting a thunderstorm today.

Needless to say that the sky started to turn a strange orange colour, and then it clouded over… Then just after 21:30, the sky started to turn dark… Very dark… Black even! And then low and behold, I’m treated to a nocturnal rattler!

A very high elevation storm, but I’m certainly not complaining.

Three storms in two days!! Fingers crossed for another day of storms tomorrow.

Here’s a couple of this evenings high elevation storm over the south side of the Wirral.

@SarahWxm @Foxgloves and everyone else of course… Here’s a few pics that I managed to get from this evenings storm.

Great pics. I just had the very dark skies, then rain. Had the sky light up orange about 5-6 times and distant booms of thunder. Better than nowt I suppose lol

[Flash bang flash bang etc]

5 minutes ago, Harry said:

…another couple of strikes…

edit - and some more…hope all of our SE coast contingent haven’t all given up for the night. They’d be getting a bit of a light display at the moment 

I would love it to

[Hirudine]

Now that all the excitement is over, here's a photo dump of pics I managed to snap of the storm's approach to central Birmingham.

[Eagle Eye]

I just saw lightning

[Rush2019]

1 hour ago, Azuremoon2 said:

Little bit of rain here now at last, enough to wet the ground at least. Cooled down nicely. A consolation to a disappointing day for us

I'm still in disbelief how Macc missed out both yesterday and today.  Had no rain, still dry as a bone here.

[Eagle Eye]

10 minutes ago, Eagle Eye said:

I just saw lightning

It's to my east not where the storm is unless it's a massive anvil, I'm confused now, must be eleaveted lightning not being picked up on by lightning detectors.

[Zak M]

Tomorrow could be pretty good here. Unfortunately I have one of my A-level exams in the afternoon so everything will develop when I'm unable to film of course.

[Southern Storm]

14 minutes ago, Eagle Eye said:

I just saw lightning

Nice one, I notice there are some more showers forming near Winchester!  Do you think they have a chance of becoming electrical? 

More are developing behind also, I think I'm gonna stay up a little while yet, before deciding weather to go to bed or not.

Edited June 11, 2023 by Southern Storm

[lottiekent]

2 minutes ago, Eagle Eye said:

It's to my east not where the storm is unless it's a massive anvil, I'm confused now, must be eleaveted lightning not being picked up on by lightning detectors.

I can hear thunder from the cell directly to my south about 50 miles away so it might be that one?

[*Stormforce~beka*]

6 minutes ago, Southern Storm said:

Nice one, I notice there are some more showers forming near Winchester!  Do you think they have a chance of becoming electrical? 

More are developing behind also, I think I'm gonna stay up a little while yet, before deciding weather to go to bed or not.

Blimey so there are! We are the breeding ground today!!

[Southern Storm]

I think there's going to be a few surprises for the southeast, some strong developing storm's just off the french coast 

[ancientsolar]

what's with this line of heavy showers from winchester to SW Swindon o,o where did they come from ?

[Eagle Eye]

10 minutes ago, Southern Storm said:

Nice one, I notice there are some more showers forming near Winchester!  Do you think they have a chance of becoming electrical? 

More are developing behind also, I think I'm gonna stay up a little while yet, before deciding weather to go to bed or not.

I think they might do yes, P.S. I just heard thunder, got the tripod out but only really would work inside my bedroom if storm is in-front of me.New camera picks up stars that I van barely see so shouldn't be too much hassle getting distant lightning just got to point it in the right direction.

[WeatherArc]

What a storm, cloud top heights reaching close to -70°C indicative of very powerful updrafts.

 

[*Stormforce~beka*]

Right come on you lot! Let's go to bed! Got another long day ahead of us tomorrow ... The morning crew will soon be here to take over. Us night owls need rest lol

[Eagle Eye]

I can see the storm to my south I think, noticeable line that matches up where I think the cloud tops would be

[Metwatch]

Second closest Met Office station to me seeing the highest convective rainfall total out of any met station today, not bad!

[ancientsolar]

Just now, *Stormforce~beka* said:

Right come on you lot! Let's go to bed! Got another long day ahead of us tomorrow ... The morning crew will soon be here to take over. Us night owls need rest lol

I'm trying, but a load of showers have pepped up over your area heading NW , quite pokey too

[*Stormforce~beka*]

1 minute ago, ancientsolar said:

I'm trying, but a load of showers have pepped up over your area heading NW , quite pokey too

Same position as earlier so i'm not staying up for them!