"Dave Ludlow" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:19:26 +0000, Kevin Morgan
wrote:

On 2009-12-23 18:09:32 +0000, Elizabeth said:

From about 17:45:

Heavy burst of hail, now turned to rain.

Several flashes of lightning/peals of thunder, now seems to have moved
on.

Still thunder and hail in SO18 - Southampton at 1819z......

Thunder lightning and heavy hail in Fareham (W) at 18:30. All surfaces
iuncluding side roads 100% covered by hail, continues as I write.

Temperature drop is from 5.5. to 2.3 so far within 5 minutes.

--
Dave
Fareham W (Locks Heath 40m asl)


An extraordinary day for weather:

Freezing fog, freezing rain, then sleet, was followed by the
grand finale; the thunderstorm of the year! Lasting from
1730Z to 1845Z, the storm delivered copious (and violent)
hail, sleet and rain (visibility tumbled to 150 metres at 1745Z).

Several blinding lightning flashes and crashes of thunder
within 1 mile, some flashes showing a bluish purple tinge.
Mainly sheet lightning, which is not surprising given the
low Cb base and extremely poor visibility but I saw one
CG and one low level CC fork. An incredibly active
storm for December with dozens of discharges.

We have regained our 2cm covering but this time, mainly
of hail. Yet to melt blocks of ice from the rain gauge, it
would appear that approx 17mm fell in the 75 minute
thunderstorm.

Nigel (Romsey, Hampshire)
40m amsl