Storms and Convective discussion - July 2023

[Windblade]

I think for me the fear/fascination crossover point was when I started watching the storm chase videos on early 90's tv that did it. The first time I saw a massive cone tornado (complete with surrounding storm, hail, lightning etc) stationary and just drilling into the ground and thinking "Wow, that's insane". The fear turned to fascination and curiosity from there I think which then turned into admiration for the power of nature, which then spawned my interest in storms and storm chasing (which I used to do until I sadly developed cfs, which has forced me now to become more a storm spotter so to speak - wait for them to come to me). 

Edited July 6, 2023 by Windblade

[Harry's House]

I also used to be scared of storms when I was young. Went on holiday to Switzerland in August when I was 13 - not a good choice of destination from that point of view. There was thunder almost every other day.

[Windblade]

1 minute ago, Harry's House said:

I also used to be scared of storms when I was young. Went on holiday to Switzerland in August when I was 13 - not a good choice of destination from that point of view. There was thunder almost every other day.

Thunder every day you say? Booking my flight right now...

[Harry's House]

Just now, Windblade said:

Thunder every day you say? Booking my flight right now...

Every other day. There were still a number of thunder-free days.

[*Stormforce~beka*]

1 hour ago, Petorious said:

Same as well with fear as a child, remember shouting mummy over and over in the middle of night if I was the only one that got woke by a storm. And yeah the fear grew into passion and wanting to understand and see more of a good storm.

Yea me too. I was petrified! I would lie in bed under the duvet with  my whole head hidden and just a breahting hole. I thought I was going to get struck.

I think the point it changed for me was when I was staying with an old lady when I left home so around 18 and suddenly I found it cool

[Ben Sainsbury]

It's great to hear of all your experiences! For me personally, since a very young age I've always been fascinated by thunderstorms. Something about witnessing thunderstorms makes me feel alive. Overhead thunder has only scared me on a handful of occasions; that saying when I went chasing in the States earlier this year, those storms there were a different breed and scared me on another level.

[*Stormforce~beka*]

The best strikes are the ones that put the fear of God into you as he delivers that strike that kills your internet and your electricity. You don't witness the full power of God until that point! AMAZING!!

[Windblade]

35 minutes ago, Harry's House said:

Every other day. There were still a number of thunder-free days.

Good enough for me! 

[Ben Sainsbury]

After a line of elevated showers/thunderstorms moves through Saturday morning across England, the UKV is going for good clearance with temperatures rising to mid-high 20s. These seemingly allow surface-based thunderstorms to develop across CS England/Midlands/E Wales, these appear to be in a moderately unstable environment coupled with strong-very strong deep layer shear. These do appear to be within the post-frontal environment which I feel is something I don't see particularly often? That saying, recipe is there for a few severe thunderstorms to develop yet again (possibly a supercell or two as well), the question is, will everything come together?

Edited July 6, 2023 by Ben Sainsbury

[Harry]

1 hour ago, Ben Sainsbury said:

It's great to hear of all your experiences! For me personally, since a very young age I've always been fascinated by thunderstorms. Something about witnessing thunderstorms makes me feel alive. Overhead thunder has only scared me on a handful of occasions; that saying when I went chasing in the States earlier this year, those storms there were a different breed and scared me on another level.

Went storm chasing in 2010 with the Netweather team and it blew my mind. A marginal risk storm there blew anything I’d seen here out of the water, let alone the High risk day we had in Arkansas/Tennessee which was another level. 
 

Speaking of startling thunder, last year there was a somewhat impressive cold air May storm while I was working at home. Had the window open to ‘enjoy’ it while I was on a Teams meeting with colleagues. This sudden IC roll of thunder made me jump out of my skin and yell something broadly equating to ‘penetrate me’ while a colleague was talking. Fun times

Edited July 6, 2023 by Harry

[Thunders]

3 hours ago, Windblade said:

Well now this is weird. I used to HATE storms when I was a kid. I was so scared of them, used to literally hide on the stairs/under the bed sheets whenever we used to get a storm. Somewhere along the way during my early teens the fear turned into fascination and I can't get enough of Storms and extreme weather now.

As long as I can remember I’ve loved them. Before 2017, I just kinda said nice but now I will track radar to seek them out, sadly can’t drive yet, im a few years away from a drivers license 

[ChezWeather]

Saturday looking extremely interesting on UKV now 

 

 

[Sparkiee storm]

As Ben referred to above the storms after the line of showery rain. Looking good so far. Interest and optimism levels rising slowly. .

[WeatherArc]

[James1979]

59 minutes ago, Windblade said:

Good enough for me! 

Once a month would be a start for me!!

[Foxgloves]

I used to live in tornado alley, so the fear of thunderstorms was constant from when I was little until we moved away.  I think the thing that broke me out of it was driving past a tree just as it was struck by lightning, probablyabout 10m from the car.  The sensation of the static just before it hit, then the flash, smell, and sound were unreal.  A bit of thunder doesn't bother me so much anymore after that and we just don't get storms like that here (yet).

[Thunders]

11 minutes ago, Foxgloves said:

I used to live in tornado alley, so the fear of thunderstorms was constant from when I was little until we moved away.  I think the thing that broke me out of it was driving past a tree just as it was struck by lightning, probablyabout 10m from the car.  The sensation of the static just before it hit, then the flash, smell, and sound were unreal.  A bit of thunder doesn't bother me so much anymore after that and we just don't get storms like that here (yet).

Always a matter of yet

[Metwatch]

AROME going for some surface based initiation mid afternoon across North Wales. The elevated stuff late morning / early afternoon seems quite light in the preceeding hours further south.

Edited July 6, 2023 by Metwatch

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Ben Sainsbury said:

After a line of elevated showers/thunderstorms moves through Saturday morning across England, the UKV is going for good clearance with temperatures rising to mid-high 20s. These seemingly allow surface-based thunderstorms to develop across CS England/Midlands/E Wales, these appear to be in a moderately unstable environment coupled with strong-very strong deep layer shear. These do appear to be within the post-frontal environment which I feel is something I don't see particularly often? That saying, recipe is there for a few severe thunderstorms to develop yet again (possibly a supercell or two as well), the question is, will everything come together?

So often in these situations the models appear to underestimate the cloud debris associated with the elevated storms that pass through often leading to lower temps and reduced available energy. 

[ChannelThunder]

Arome 12z keeping the hope alive for something overnight in the CS...

[Guest]

1 hour ago, WeatherArc said:

Looks like some severe thunderstorms are possible during Saturday afternoon as the daytime heating gets to work. Eeyore-Alderc does make a valid point regarding cloud debris so we'll be a bit nervous on the day with regards to realising potential.

[The Tall Weatherman]

Have highlighted multiple areas interest on the latest 15z UKV. 16z Saturday: A line of storms in the northern areas of England and a few discrete storms further south into the Midlands. Monday 12z: Scattered Showers all around England although uncertainty if they will be thundery.Monday 21z: An MCS looking thing in the SW/Southern England. Tuesday 15z: Scattered Thunderstorms all across Britian.

I will post a Saturday Forecast tomorrow evening and it is looking very interesting in regard to supercells if storms can stay surface based unlike the 25th of June and if the clouds can scamper away quickly enough.

[Eagle Eye]

Immediate post front environment depends on strength of any kind of MCS that forms. Bigger strength then the stronger the depth of the stratiform region and the less energy can be reached post MCS. Will likely talk about this in my discussion tomorrow night.

[CoventryWeather]

Monday evening on the UKV looks interesting. Does anyone have the CAPE index's for the charts - would assume there would be a weak amount with that one. 

[Metwatch]

37 minutes ago, CoventryWeather said:

Monday evening on the UKV looks interesting. Does anyone have the CAPE index's for the charts - would assume there would be a weak amount with that one. 

Not much as below chart shows. I think Monday afternoon and Tuesday looks more interesting, gives me some vibes from the days in early May this spring, a lot of clumps of showers and thunderstorms. Still too far out, I'm focusing on Saturday for now.