Astronomy, Photography and Weather

General Category => Weather & Atmospherics => Topic started by: martinastro on August 06, 2009, 02:52:29 pm



Title: For Those In S. Britain - Aug 6th
Post by: martinastro on August 06, 2009, 02:52:29 pm
(http://i31.tinypic.com/34fmxhy.gif)

Big thunderstorms are currently moving across the channel into Southern Britain and heading NE producing alot of lightning/thunder. There is a chance of an MCS moving across later. Anyone in the area might want to get the camera out...


Title: Re: For Those In S. Britain - Aug 6th
Post by: martinastro on August 06, 2009, 03:02:02 pm
Check out the radar over Britain at 14.30...

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/radar/

Storm crazy.


Title: Re: For Those In S. Britain - Aug 6th
Post by: JohnC on August 06, 2009, 04:18:40 pm
Thanks, Martin. Just rain here and no thunder heard. It's tracking a bit too far east .I've just chcked Blirzortung and the nearest lightning is way over towards the east coast - NW of London. I see there's   a lot coming up from France but  tracking  to the east of here.


Title: Re: For Those In S. Britain - Aug 6th
Post by: martinastro on August 06, 2009, 04:29:46 pm
Hi John, the Blirzortung sferics are not very accurate, do you check ATD sferics?, that is the most accurate sferic data available as far as I'm aware. Looks like alot of those storms are elevated in nature. Will be interesting to see what happens over the next few hours, and maybe even over night.  :)

Here's the link...

http://andvari.vedur.is/athuganir/eldingar/


Title: Re: For Those In S. Britain - Aug 6th
Post by: jgs001 on August 06, 2009, 04:53:31 pm
Gee thanks Martin... we're supposed to be camping in the garden tonight....


Title: Re: For Those In S. Britain - Aug 6th
Post by: markt on August 06, 2009, 05:37:20 pm
Just missing me, a few spits and spots of rain now and then but that's it...


Title: Re: For Those In S. Britain - Aug 6th
Post by: JohnC on August 06, 2009, 09:31:47 pm
Cheers Mark...is that Swedish or Norwegian ?  That's a pity then if Blitz. O isn't  accurate , this one you posted the link for is showing some strikes over Martin's way but  it's also very small scale whereas Blitz. O was quite large but no good how large  it is if it's not accurate.  How do you rate this one ?   http://www.isleofwightweather.co.uk/live_storm_data_sound.htm

I missed photographing  a lovely sunset tonight. (Gloucester)


Title: Re: For Those In S. Britain - Aug 6th
Post by: martinastro on August 06, 2009, 09:39:23 pm
Hi John, same goes for the Isle of White sferics, I have used all of these for the last few years and have found ATD to be the absolute best over all of them. That's not to say that the others don't get it correct, they often do, but I have seen these giving poor readings many times with sferics plotted in areas where the storms are not even located. I'm not knocking them, just favouring ATD as the best from trial and error. Others may disagree so best to use what works best for you. Good to have a few of them to check anyway as back up. I always use ATD combined with the radar and they match 99% of the time which is as good as one can hope for. Hope this helps :)


Title: Re: For Those In S. Britain - Aug 6th
Post by: jgs001 on August 06, 2009, 10:15:18 pm
It's only raining here... kinda dull really... although I did get away with not sleeping in the tent  ;D


Title: Re: For Those In S. Britain - Aug 6th
Post by: Big Dipper on August 07, 2009, 06:56:49 pm
Plenty of action here in Oxford yesterday! I was at a pre-arranged meeting at the pub around the corner from where I live and so wisely choose a window seat with a good view of both the sky and those outside dashing for cover without coat or umbrella because they hadn't heard the forecast for the day!  ;D

The best thunderstorm started at around 1.30pm BST (not long after I arrived) though I didn't manage to see any actual forks. The rain continued relentlessly even after the thunder & lighting moved off the scene after about 30 minutes but during the rest of the afternoon, we were treated to another couple of 'mini' thunder & lightning displays.

I made good use of the temporary lull at about 5.30pm to leg it home (only a couple of minutes, thank goodness!) without getting wet!

More soon, please!  ;D