Last night has got to be one of the most memorable 'weather' nights ever. A
thunderstorm of the intensity I have not witnessed since those summer
'biggies' from what now seems like a long time ago.

The lightning started around 23:45 but the rain did not really get going
until just after midnight, though it was a mixture of torrential rain and
hail. The road outside soon resembled a mini-glacier with hail floes running
everywhere.

The lightning was regular, frequent and overhead with amazing cloud-cloud
flickering and the occasional ground strike; the thunder was the house
foundation shaking type and at times truly deafening. The brightness of the
lightning was awe inspiring.

I have just checked the rain gauge and it was blocked by hailstones that
still had not melted but there was 63 mm of rain in there. The Davis AWS
recorded a total of 70 mm since midnight with 40 mm falling between 0:00 and
3:00. These rainfall figures are probably much lower than what actually
fell.

With reports that Ottery St Mary and many villages around here are flooded
and cut off, the A30 and part of the motorway at Junction 29 closed due to
multiple accidents. There have been 'hail drifts' (not snow as reported by
some people) so deep that cars have been buried in them, it certainly has
been one of those nights to remember.
________________
Nick.
Otter Valley, Devon
83 m amsl
http://www.ottervalley.co.uk

On Oct 30, 9:58*am, "Nick Gardner"
wrote:
Last night has got to be one of the most memorable 'weather' nights ever. A
thunderstorm of the intensity I have not witnessed since those summer
'biggies' from what now seems like a long time ago.

The lightning started around 23:45 but the rain did not really get going
until just after midnight, though it was a mixture of torrential rain and
hail. The road outside soon resembled a mini-glacier with hail floes running
everywhere.

The lightning was regular, frequent and overhead with amazing cloud-cloud
flickering and the occasional ground strike; the thunder was the house
foundation shaking type and at times truly deafening. The brightness of the
lightning was awe inspiring.

I have just checked the rain gauge and it was blocked by hailstones that
still had not melted but there was 63 mm of rain in there. The Davis AWS
recorded a total of 70 mm since midnight with 40 mm falling between 0:00 and
3:00. These rainfall figures are probably much lower than what actually
fell.

With reports that Ottery St Mary and many villages around here are flooded
and cut off, the A30 and part of the motorway at Junction 29 closed due to
multiple accidents. There have been 'hail drifts' (not snow as reported by
some people) so deep that cars have been buried in them, it certainly has
been one of those nights to remember.
________________
Nick.
Otter Valley, Devon
83 m amslhttp://www.ottervalley.co.uk

We had flash flooding in Rockbeare - torrent of water running down our
road (stream behind houses on other side - a tributary of the the
Clyst), garage is flooded and many houses around us also (we just
escaped). Heavy rain here ceased just before midnight, seen photos of
*deep* hail Ottery area where water no doubt originated from. Have
photos and video of some of it.

Steve.
Highest/lowest of 2008 so far: 28.0C/-4.3C.
No. of Air frosts 35...
www.rockbeareweather.co.uk

On Oct 30, 9:58*am, "Nick Gardner"
wrote:
Last night has got to be one of the most memorable 'weather' nights ever. A
thunderstorm of the intensity I have not witnessed since those summer
'biggies' from what now seems like a long time ago.

The lightning started around 23:45 but the rain did not really get going
until just after midnight, though it was a mixture of torrential rain and
hail. The road outside soon resembled a mini-glacier with hail floes running
everywhere.

The lightning was regular, frequent and overhead with amazing cloud-cloud
flickering and the occasional ground strike; the thunder was the house
foundation shaking type and at times truly deafening. The brightness of the
lightning was awe inspiring.

I have just checked the rain gauge and it was blocked by hailstones that
still had not melted but there was 63 mm of rain in there. The Davis AWS
recorded a total of 70 mm since midnight with 40 mm falling between 0:00 and
3:00. These rainfall figures are probably much lower than what actually
fell.

With reports that Ottery St Mary and many villages around here are flooded
and cut off, the A30 and part of the motorway at Junction 29 closed due to
multiple accidents. There have been 'hail drifts' (not snow as reported by
some people) so deep that cars have been buried in them, it certainly has
been one of those nights to remember.
________________
Nick.
Otter Valley, Devon
83 m amslhttp://www.ottervalley.co.uk

Thanks Nick. Just caught up with your report. It's made national news
too.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7699112.stm

I slept through everything!

Heavy rain here ceased just before midnight, seen photos of
*deep* hail Ottery area where water no doubt originated from.

The heaviest of the hail and rain was between 01:00 and 01:15 when 14.5 mm
managed to make it into the tipping bucket gauge despite the bowl being full
of hailstones.

Trying to get about here is a difficult task as most of the roads are
flooded. Methinks I'm going to stay at home today. I've heard that there are
cars stuck in flood water on the road out of the village as people have
tried to get through thinking they are driving a boat. Shame.

Standing on top of the hill looking down on the Otter Valley at Tipton St
John, my father described the view as looking as if the sea has come inland.
________________
Nick.
Otter Valley, Devon
83 m amsl
http://www.ottervalley.co.uk

On Oct 30, 11:30*am, "Nick Gardner"
wrote:
Heavy rain here ceased just before midnight, seen photos of

*deep* hail Ottery area where water no doubt originated from.

The heaviest of the hail and rain was between 01:00 and 01:15 when 14.5 mm
managed to make it into the tipping bucket gauge despite the bowl being full
of hailstones.

Trying to get about here is a difficult task as most of the roads are
flooded. Methinks I'm going to stay at home today. I've heard that there are
cars stuck in flood water on the road out of the village as people have
tried to get through thinking they are driving a boat. Shame.

Standing on top of the hill looking down on the Otter Valley at Tipton St
John, my father described the view as looking as if the sea has come inland.
________________
Nick.
Otter Valley, Devon
83 m amslhttp://www.ottervalley.co.uk

Some quick videos and photos on my website

Steve.
Highest/lowest of 2008 so far: 28.0C/-4.3C.
No. of Air frosts 35...
www.rockbeareweather.co.uk

"Nick Gardner" wrote in message
...
Heavy rain here ceased just before midnight, seen photos of
*deep* hail Ottery area where water no doubt originated from.

The heaviest of the hail and rain was between 01:00 and 01:15 when 14.5 mm
managed to make it into the tipping bucket gauge despite the bowl being
full of hailstones.

Trying to get about here is a difficult task as most of the roads are
flooded. Methinks I'm going to stay at home today. I've heard that there
are cars stuck in flood water on the road out of the village as people
have tried to get through thinking they are driving a boat. Shame.

Standing on top of the hill looking down on the Otter Valley at Tipton St
John, my father described the view as looking as if the sea has come
inland.
________________
Nick.
Otter Valley, Devon
83 m amsl
http://www.ottervalley.co.uk

Hi Nick

Hope you survived relattively unscathed. My brother-in-law in West Hill had
part of his conservatory roof collapse due to the sheer weight of hail
(probably also funnelled onto roof when sliding off house roof by the shape
of the house roof).
He also thinks (from watching the TV News & contacting his old colleagues on
the Council) that, although the "usual" areas in Ottery are flooded there is
also flooding in places which don't normally flood.

The NationalRail website is reporting a rail replacement bus service for the
WR main line between Tiverton Parkway & Exeter wit a recommendation to
travel via Honiton to Waterloo. Honiton seems to have been badly affected
according to the teletext road status for the South West atm.

Peter
--
Peter & Elizabeth Corser
Leighton Buzzard, UK

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Hi Nick,

Awesome stuff indeed.
Here are some links to pictures
http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/galler...l/gallery.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/i..._gallery.shtml

It's estimated that circa 120mm rain fell in storm centre allowing for hail.

First I was aware of it was listening to Radio Devon on way to work at 0730
this morning, when they were going on about snow drifts and flooding. Snow
was, of course, hail. Apparently the hail floated on the water and when it
subsided huge chunks of ice 2 feet high were left in car parks hemming in
cars and there is still hail around.

What was the cause?

Occlusion slow moving oriented N-S across E. Devon with normal amounts of
rain associated with it. Low centre nearby. Potential vorticity filament
associated with jet streak to west of low in upper air tracked east and
helped de-stabilise the warm air part of the occlusion. Deep instability
released as air north of low was of Arctic origin and thunderstorms spawned.
But that was not all ... once the storms got going they became trapped in
the almost-calm centre of the low and could not go anywhere, hence a local
deluge with huge amounts of hail. Very localised and unpredictable, even in
hindsight. Exeter had circa 6mm rain, Ottery St Mary 100mm. High
resolution 1km radar imagery available at work showed torrential rain and a
widespread hail signal. Evidence of rotation and a comma-like structure too.
The investigation continues ...

What a day!

For those of us in the SW, the pictures on Spotlight are going to be
interesting!

Will (from a serenely quiet but very cold Haytor)
--

"Nick Gardner" wrote in message
...
Last night has got to be one of the most memorable 'weather' nights ever.
A thunderstorm of the intensity I have not witnessed since those summer
'biggies' from what now seems like a long time ago.

The lightning started around 23:45 but the rain did not really get going
until just after midnight, though it was a mixture of torrential rain and
hail. The road outside soon resembled a mini-glacier with hail floes
running everywhere.

The lightning was regular, frequent and overhead with amazing cloud-cloud
flickering and the occasional ground strike; the thunder was the house
foundation shaking type and at times truly deafening. The brightness of
the lightning was awe inspiring.

I have just checked the rain gauge and it was blocked by hailstones that
still had not melted but there was 63 mm of rain in there. The Davis AWS
recorded a total of 70 mm since midnight with 40 mm falling between 0:00
and 3:00. These rainfall figures are probably much lower than what
actually fell.

With reports that Ottery St Mary and many villages around here are flooded
and cut off, the A30 and part of the motorway at Junction 29 closed due to
multiple accidents. There have been 'hail drifts' (not snow as reported by
some people) so deep that cars have been buried in them, it certainly has
been one of those nights to remember.
________________
Nick.
Otter Valley, Devon
83 m amsl
http://www.ottervalley.co.uk

What a day!

For those of us in the SW, the pictures on Spotlight are going to be
interesting!

For those not living in the South West, but have SKY TV, and would
like to watch spotlight, try Sky TV Channel 987.

On Oct 30, 5:57 pm, Bonos Ego wrote:
What a day!

For those of us in the SW, the pictures on Spotlight are going to be
interesting!

For those not living in the South West, but have SKY TV, and would
like to watch spotlight, try Sky TV Channel 987.

There's some video footage here too http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7700167.stm

Nick Gardner wrote:
Heavy rain here ceased just before midnight, seen photos of
*deep* hail Ottery area where water no doubt originated from.

The heaviest of the hail and rain was between 01:00 and 01:15 when 14.5 mm
managed to make it into the tipping bucket gauge despite the bowl being full
of hailstones.

Trying to get about here is a difficult task as most of the roads are
flooded. Methinks I'm going to stay at home today. I've heard that there are
cars stuck in flood water on the road out of the village as people have
tried to get through thinking they are driving a boat. Shame.

Standing on top of the hill looking down on the Otter Valley at Tipton St
John, my father described the view as looking as if the sea has come inland.
________________
Nick.
Otter Valley, Devon
83 m amsl
http://www.ottervalley.co.uk



WOW!!! Is the only word when I saw those hail drifts. I didn't think
so much hail could fall in one place. I think it would be foolish of
people to try and drive out of the village, the river current may be too
strong and the car and occupants could drift down the river.

Joe
Wolverhampton
175m asl