Penzance, thunder, large hail, gales . . .
 

Well, that little low looked like it could be nasty a few days ago,
those features slipping SE are prone to give some exciting weather to
the tip of Cornwall. This one was a bit like a very much scaled down
version of the one in March 2008. In the end it gave the strongest
winds of 2011 in Penzance, and stronger than anything Autumn/Winter
2010/2011.

The wind was gale force by 23:00 yesterday, with large hail & thunder
shortly after, the 2nd thunderstorm of the day. After a brief lull the
WNW wind increased back to gale force, with frequent showers of mainly
hail.

The showers / thunder / strongest gusts were neatly spaced so as to
minmise any chance of sleep, aided by the fact that the car alarm up
the road went off with any particularly strong gust, and the nearby
auction house burgler alarm was set off whenever it hailed
particularly heavily. (Sympathy required)

The recorded wind speeds increased steadily as you headed west. Land's
End seeing the mean speed 50mph just after midnight. Still very
strong gusts, 59kn @ St. Ives at 10:00am.

Also a massive swell http://www.channelcoast.org/data_man...arts/?chart=76

Rainfall's also building up, 52.4mm in the 3 days to 09:00.

Graham
Penzance