Hi,

Layperson question. Has a supercell TS ever been recorded in the UK
before? Much has been made of the discovery of the supercell in the UK,
but was this discovery made from observing other countries, or from an
actual occurrence in the UK?

Simon

Simon,
No doubt the storm of Friday Sept. 5th 1958 was in the super cell class and
incidentally fired my enthusiasm for the Weather. I believe the Wokingham
storm in 1959 could be put into this category as well but overall they are
relatively uncommon.

Ian Currie -Coulsdon
www.frostedearth.com




"Simon Wyndham" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Layperson question. Has a supercell TS ever been recorded in the UK
before? Much has been made of the discovery of the supercell in the UK,
but was this discovery made from observing other countries, or from an
actual occurrence in the UK?

Simon

On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 09:12:22 +0000 (UTC), Simon Wyndham
wrote:

Hi,

Layperson question. Has a supercell TS ever been recorded in the UK
before?

The Hampstead storm of August 1975 was a supercell. Google on
Hampstead storm for details.

As for their frequency, stormchasers and recorder/researchers such as
Les Crossan and Trevor Harley might have an idea, I would guess about
once a decade.

JPG

Much has been made of the discovery of the supercell in the UK,
but was this discovery made from observing other countries, or from an
actual occurrence in the UK?

Simon

"JPG" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 09:12:22 +0000 (UTC), Simon Wyndham
wrote:

Hi,

Layperson question. Has a supercell TS ever been recorded in the UK
before?

The Hampstead storm of August 1975 was a supercell. Google on
Hampstead storm for details.

As for their frequency, stormchasers and recorder/researchers such as
Les Crossan and Trevor Harley might have an idea, I would guess about
once a decade.

JPG

Much has been made of the discovery of the supercell in the UK,
but was this discovery made from observing other countries, or from an
actual occurrence in the UK?

Simon


But about Hampstead here
http://www.weather-uk.com/hampstead/page3.html

I'm sure Supercells are much more common than once ever 10 years - they are
just not reported as such. In particular the "Shallow Supercell".

There was a possible Shallow Supercell reported in Oxfordshire in March -
unconfirmed though.

Mark.

"Joe, Bedford." wrote in message
news:adugc.19018$4N3.18154@newsfe1-win...

"JPG" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 09:12:22 +0000 (UTC), Simon Wyndham
wrote:

Hi,

Layperson question. Has a supercell TS ever been recorded in the UK
before?

The Hampstead storm of August 1975 was a supercell. Google on
Hampstead storm for details.

As for their frequency, stormchasers and recorder/researchers such as
Les Crossan and Trevor Harley might have an idea, I would guess about
once a decade.

JPG

Much has been made of the discovery of the supercell in the UK,
but was this discovery made from observing other countries, or from an
actual occurrence in the UK?

Simon


But about Hampstead here
http://www.weather-uk.com/hampstead/page3.html

The Wokingham Hailstorm (which was a forward flank updraught hp supercell)
of 1959 was when the supercell structure was first postulated - this was the
first storm ever to be extensively tracked on radar. There's more on these
events in the usw FAQ / glossary.

They are not common in the UK (once every 10 years or so) = but = smaller
scale rotating single cells (misocyclones or mini-supercells!) may well
be... i've got a pic of a local smaller scale rotating single cell event in
my photograph gallery he

http://82.39.122.1/Images/inflow.jpg

which shows an inflow band into a rotating single cell thunderstorm event.

Les


"Simon Wyndham" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Layperson question. Has a supercell TS


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The Wokingham Hailstorm (which was a forward flank updraught hp supercell)
of 1959 was when the supercell structure was first postulated - this was the
first storm ever to be extensively tracked on radar. There's more on these
events in the usw FAQ / glossary.

They are not common in the UK (reported once every 10 years or so) = but =
smaller
scale events (rotating single cells of shallow vertical extent /
misocyclones / mini-supercells!) may well
be... i've got a pic of a local smaller scale rotating single cell event in
my photograph gallery he

http://82.39.122.1/Images/inflow.jpg

which shows an inflow band into a rotating single cell thunderstorm in deep
cold air.

Les

"Simon Wyndham" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Layperson question.


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Thanks Les - nice photo by the way.

What were your thoughts on the event in Oxfordshire last month then ? I
have to admit I'm certainly no expert - but the arguments seemed to hold
credance to me.

http://www.eots.co.uk/IsostormMar04/Page1.htm

Mark.

"Les Crossan" wrote in message
...
The Wokingham Hailstorm (which was a forward flank updraught hp supercell)
of 1959 was when the supercell structure was first postulated - this was
the
first storm ever to be extensively tracked on radar. There's more on these
events in the usw FAQ / glossary.

They are not common in the UK (reported once every 10 years or so) = but
=
smaller
scale events (rotating single cells of shallow vertical extent /
misocyclones / mini-supercells!) may well
be... i've got a pic of a local smaller scale rotating single cell event
in
my photograph gallery he

http://82.39.122.1/Images/inflow.jpg

which shows an inflow band into a rotating single cell thunderstorm in
deep
cold air.

Les

"Simon Wyndham" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Layperson question.


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================================================== ==================
This posting expresses the personal view and opinions of the author.
Something which everyone on this planet should be able to do.
================================================== ==================

I thought Hampstead (1975) was a multi-cell that happened to regenerate in the
same place due to ideal upper wind configurations ?
For a supercell you need a low modified Richardson number (CAPE/helicity 10),
high CAPE itself (1000 J/Kg), massive directional and speed wind shear in the
lowest 2 km of atmosphere and a rotating updraught.

I will be a bit controversial and say that true supercells have not been
observed in the UK.

But I'm willing to be proved wrong given unequivocal observational evidence.


Will.
--

" A cup is most useful when empty "
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JPG wrote in message ...
On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 09:12:22 +0000 (UTC), Simon Wyndham
wrote:

Hi,

Layperson question. Has a supercell TS ever been recorded in the UK
before?

The Hampstead storm of August 1975 was a supercell. Google on
Hampstead storm for details.

As for their frequency, stormchasers and recorder/researchers such as
Les Crossan and Trevor Harley might have an idea, I would guess about
once a decade.

JPG

Much has been made of the discovery of the supercell in the UK,
but was this discovery made from observing other countries, or from an
actual occurrence in the UK?

Simon

That looks like a misocyclone event that you have recorded. A good case for
Doppler Radar in the UK.

Cracking Pics.

Depending on response here I may post up the paper that started it all on my
webserver .... the analysis of the Wokingham storm. Meanwhile there's one
scan already there from "Airflow in Convective Storms" from 1962 paper he

http://82.39.122.1/Images/wokingham2.jpg the similarities are pretty
striking.

The scan is from the RMS, volume 88, 376, April 1962, thank you Les Lemon /
Keith Browning.

Les


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