Flashes and rumbles now (1.50 a.m. BST) getting more frequent, but no rain. The moon, which had been visible in a large patch of clear sky while all this was happening, has now disappeared.

Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, NE Surrey, 557 ft.

On Friday, 18 July 2014 01:54:38 UTC+1, Tudor Hughes wrote:
Flashes and rumbles now (1.50 a.m. BST) getting more frequent, but no rain. The moon, which had been visible in a large patch of clear sky while all this was happening, has now disappeared. Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, NE Surrey, 557 ft.

This turned into one of the most impressive lightning displays I have seen for a long time. Up till 0030Z it was c-c and extremely bright but then the c-g discharges started and one was so close that it was impossible to say exactly where it struck. I'd guess about 50 yds. A bright flash and simultaneous crack as if someone had shorted a couple of huge cables but no following rumble to speak of, as I have observed once or twice before. The house, and all the others, is still standing and everything works but the PC reset itself.
There was also a fairly short spell of torrential rain and the wind gusted to about force 7 easterly.
The light show continued for another 10 minutes after the heavy rain had ceased.
The eastward extent of these storms seems rather to have caught the Met Office on the hop and certainly surprised me, for one

Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, NE Surrey, 169 m, 557 ft. TQ 352595.

On 18/07/2014 03:39, Tudor Hughes wrote:
On Friday, 18 July 2014 01:54:38 UTC+1, Tudor Hughes wrote:
Flashes and rumbles now (1.50 a.m. BST) getting more frequent, but
no rain. The moon, which had been visible in a large patch of clear
sky while all this was happening, has now disappeared. Tudor
Hughes, Warlingham, NE Surrey, 557 ft.

This turned into one of the most impressive lightning displays I have
seen for a long time. Up till 0030Z it was c-c and extremely bright
but then the c-g discharges started and one was so close that it was
impossible to say exactly where it struck. I'd guess about 50 yds.
A bright flash and simultaneous crack as if someone had shorted a
couple of huge cables but no following rumble to speak of, as I have
observed once or twice before. The house, and all the others, is
still standing and everything works but the PC reset itself. There
was also a fairly short spell of torrential rain and the wind gusted
to about force 7 easterly. The light show continued for another 10
minutes after the heavy rain had ceased. The eastward extent of these
storms seems rather to have caught the Met Office on the hop and
certainly surprised me, for one

Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, NE Surrey, 169 m, 557 ft. TQ 352595.


Quite loud, but not overhead, storm here. Was very surprised to see only
about 1mm of rain this morning - it sounded like it was ****ing down!


--

Paul Hyett, Cheltenham

On 18/07/2014 08:28, Vidcapper wrote:


Quite loud, but not overhead, storm here. Was very surprised to see only
about 1mm of rain this morning - it sounded like it was ****ing down!


Try this (not mine, alas)

Lightning Storm, Cheltenham, UK. 18th July 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9MN3g2Fjos



--

Paul Hyett, Cheltenham

On Friday, 18 July 2014 03:39:12 UTC+1, Tudor Hughes wrote:
On Friday, 18 July 2014 01:54:38 UTC+1, Tudor Hughes wrote: Flashes and rumbles now (1.50 a.m. BST) getting more frequent, but no rain. The moon, which had been visible in a large patch of clear sky while all this was happening, has now disappeared. Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, NE Surrey, 557 ft. This turned into one of the most impressive lightning displays I have seen for a long time. Up till 0030Z it was c-c and extremely bright but then the c-g discharges started and one was so close that it was impossible to say exactly where it struck. I'd guess about 50 yds. A bright flash and simultaneous crack as if someone had shorted a couple of huge cables but no following rumble to speak of, as I have observed once or twice before. The house, and all the others, is still standing and everything works but the PC reset itself. There was also a fairly short spell of torrential rain and the wind gusted to about force 7 easterly. The light show continued for another 10 minutes after the heavy rain had ceased. The eastward extent of these storms seems rather to have caught the Met Office on the hop and certainly surprised me, for one Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, NE Surrey, 169 m, 557 ft. TQ 352595.

Agree there Tudor. It started here in Sydenham about 1am ish . I was just going up to bed and thought 'ey up' is that distant rumbling thunder I hear?

It wa son my mind anyhow as I was on the phone earlier to a friend who lives in St Leonards Sussex and he was bemoning the heat and the thunder storms that never happened . Anyhow as we spoke I looked at 'Will It Rain Today' radar info and saw a whole heap of bright coluors heading NNE , to be honest I though I'd miss but my friend might cope some of the fireworks. Anyhow the best display I can recall experiencing in Sydenham since I moved there in 1996!! Based purely on memory I believe we had conditions like this the day the king died.

On Fri, 18 Jul 2014 03:07:30 -0700 (PDT)
Lawrence Jenkins wrote:

Based purely on memory I believe we had conditions like this the day
the king died.

Elvis? George VI? Gable?

--
Graham P Davis, Bracknell
Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through
our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that
democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'
- Isaac Asimov.

On Friday, 18 July 2014 11:48:40 UTC+1, Graham P Davis wrote:
On Fri, 18 Jul 2014 03:07:30 -0700 (PDT) Lawrence Jenkins wrote: Based purely on memory I believe we had conditions like this the day the king died. Elvis? George VI? Gable? -- Graham P Davis, Bracknell Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.' - Isaac Asimov.

Bloody hell Graham you aint nuttin' but a hound dawg, of course I mean Elvis.