What a time to start observing (0250Z)!
Incredibly frequent lightning, almost all sheet with just
2 IC forks visible... clearly an AC castellanus storm.
In one minute I counted 54 flashes. First thunder heard
around 0130Z, and has been rumbling almost continually
since, now distant to the north.
Currently:

SYNOP 22/0250Z
03/// 41657 72903 10190 20168 40170 57010 7959/
333 8258/ 333 82640 87360=

METAR
EG// 220250Z 29003KT 7000 -TSRA FEW040 BKN100
19/17 Q//// RERA WHT=

Details:
wind... WNW, force 1.
visibility... 7km.
weather... moderate thunderstorm with slight rain (was
heavy thunderstorm... due to frequency of
lightning and thunder... with heavy rain).
clouds... 2/8 SC at 4000ft (flat, innocuous cloud lit up).
7/8 AC castellanus, base 10000ft.
dry bulb... +19.0C.
dewpoint... +16.8C.
RH... 87%.
sea level pressure... 1017.0mb (irregular fall).
rainfall last hour... 4.0mm.
rainfall in storm... 4.8mm.

beaufort letters (0150-0250Z)... cTLR,ctlr,ctlro.

Nigel (Romsey, Hampshire)... back to bed.