Stormy Weather II

[Serial_Apologist]

The thunderstorm arrived remarkably quickly after writing the above, but has now been hanging around for half an hour, with the range of lightning spreading both forwards and backwards, so it is covering an area larger than the London conurbation, suggesting what had been a line formation has grown into a meso-scale sub-synoptic convective system (MSC), which is intermediary between a cell or line formation and an actual low pressure system with enclosing isobars, though MSC's often do acquire a circulatory wind pattern, which keeps them going for longer than the relatively simple single cell type storm, or the line squall type, which usually gets a move on, pushed forwards by winds coming in from the rear. That said, for all the lightning, which with no clag at lower levels to obstruct the view is clearly visible and very pretty, it all seems to be of the cloud-to-cloud variety and pretty high up, with fairly muffled thunder, and the rain is not as heavy as I had expected; so this has to be an elevated system.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

It actually reached 23C this afternoon here - enjoyed a pleasant 16 mile round cycle trip, including a stop off at the Faith Café (as it's now called) in Ladywell Park. Nice chat with a Welsh couple, I'd guess in their mid-70s, taking care of a grandson, aged around 11. Fairly intense thunderstorms now approaching slowly from the west - heavy rain just starting, the lightning still 30 miles to the west and south west - Horsham apparently under it, so BBM is in the vicinity!

Is that the one next to Ladywell Station? Give it my best the next time you're there; I used to like parking there for a few minutes during my rides. Unfortunately my tours of the Wiltshire countryside are currently limited thanks to a medical event last weekend, a minor stroke in fact, fortunately with no lasting ill effects but requiring me to be very alert for the foreseeable in case another should occur - and being caught out in the sticks would not be ideal! Ms Stoatfoe is not keen on my trundling off in these circumstances, and she's also keen on me sticking to the low notes when I resume hostilities with my Paxman.
Being to the west of where you are, we caught those storms big-time, although here it sounded more present - we're higher up after all.

[oddoneout]

There was some storm activity last night as I was half aware of some grumbling thunder and the various rattlings caused by brief high wind speeds in the early hours. A useful amount of rain which seems to have mostly come straight down and soaked in, but less than an inch down the soil is still bone dry in many parts of my garden - including where I was trying to put in the bean supports on Tuesday and where the plants are due to be planted out in the next couple of days. As the soil sets solid when dry (high silt content) the canes are not at all well anchored this time and will need a lot of bracing - even my usual method of using a metal bar and hammer to make starter holes didn't do the job as the canes couldn't widen the holes as I pushed them in. Although I was a bit late with the task this year it would have been even worse in April as we had had no rain so even the surface soil was hard.

[oddoneout]

We must be the only country in the world that considers 23 degrees C to be a heatwave

I think some of those places nearer the Poles might also consider 23 a bit warm?

[BBMmk2]

Not a very good weather, down here.

[Serial_Apologist]

Beautiful pics of last night's ribbon lightning display over London here:-

Scroll to the bottom of the page:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/se19

[Joseph K]

Beautiful pics of last night's ribbon lightning display over London here:-

Scroll to the bottom of the page:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/se19

[gurnemanz]

Beautiful pics of last night's ribbon lightning display over London here:-

Scroll to the bottom of the page:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/se19

Thanks for pics link. Due to mighty deluge we lost Sky satellite reception for a while during the European football final last night.

Only 15C here nearing midday. Sun half-heartedly attempting to poke through.

[Old Grumpy]

Thanks for pics link. Due to mighty deluge we lost Sky satellite reception for a while during the European football final last night.

Interesting. We have recently moved and have Freesat, rather than terrestrial Freeview - the signal does seem to cut out during rainstorms (no lightning involved). Is there any particular reason for that?

[gurnemanz]

Interesting. We have recent moved and have Freesat, rather than terrestrial Freeview - the signal does seem to cut out during rainstorms (no lightning involved). Is there any particular reason for that?

Not sure. It needs to be very heavy rain to cut signal and happens quite rarely.

[Joseph K]

Sunny, but the air is fresher than previous days...

[DracoM]

Virtually cloudless here.

[teamsaint]

Is that the one next to Ladywell Station? Give it my best the next time you're there; I used to like parking there for a few minutes during my rides. Unfortunately my tours of the Wiltshire countryside are currently limited thanks to a medical event last weekend, a minor stroke in fact, fortunately with no lasting ill effects but requiring me to be very alert for the foreseeable in case another should occur - and being caught out in the sticks would not be ideal! Ms Stoatfoe is not keen on my trundling off in these circumstances, and she's also keen on me sticking to the low notes when I resume hostilities with my Paxman.
Being to the west of where you are, we caught those storms big-time, although here it sounded more present - we're higher up after all.

Sorry to hear about your ,thankfully minor ,episode, Stoatfoe. Take care. Hopefully three months without Saints results to dread will help you along. That and being in the glorious Hants/ Wilts borders of course.

[BBMmk2]

Raining today, yuk!

[Serial_Apologist]

Raining today, yuk!

Yes, very wet morning here - continuous moderate rain beginning around 7.30 and only just now clearing. Just 12C. This is the back side of a very thundery frontal system straddled across N France, Belgium and Holland that could be giving them some worries: high winds and flooding.

It should all clear this afternoon, us joining the rest of the country in showers and funny periods, as me mum used to say. But the weather régime has now changed from "meridional" to "zonal", meaning cooler - but not cold - and alternations of rain and breezy sunshine. Just what the farmers ordered!