Weather breaking down - Funnel cloud sighted!

[brianb]

The 5 day run of clear skies is ending, the sky has become filled with cirrostratus & there are signs of upper atmospheric instability, as shown by this "funnel cloud" photographed from Portballintrae at 1545 BST today June 2nd.


Yes, I know it's only virga, but if the summer consists of two fine days & a thunderstorm, and Thor's been stocking up thunderbolts for five whole days....

[martinastro]

I'm with you Brian, I have to say that I have been impressed by the changes taking place over  the last two days. Yesterday evening there was impressive convection over the Sperrins, today with temps reaching 26 degrees in places the convection has been really notable all day here. With increasing instability and intense heat we have been getting explosive convection in the form of cumulus and towering cumulus, and the classic mid level instability altocumulus castellanus, the extent of this cloud here this afternoon had thunderstorms wrote all over it. Although none are forecast, I do wonder if there is a chance of a thundery breakdown. There's a weak cold front moving down from the N introducing cooler Nly winds for the next few days. At the current time the radar is showing the first shower breaking out today in W. N. Ireland. I wonder if anything will happen...

Nice image, I took a few also which I will post later.

[martinastro]

There is a convective watch for western areas, that's exactly where that first shower has formed.

http://ukasf.co.uk/module-Storm/mode-forecast/id-208/

[martinastro]

It's 28 degree C inside our house now with all the door and windows open.

Here's a few convective snaps. First two showing the distant convection yesterday in the haze, the rest from today showing mid level instability. They are much bigger than they seem on the images. Today I watched as one small cumulus exploded up into a rock solid towering cumulus within 1 min.

[Paul]

It's just hazy cirrus here on the coast, however I've been out to Cookstown this afternoon and was certain the weather was about to break into an almighty thunderstorm!

[John9929]

Some nice virga here in the afternoon, here's a super-wide shot, these were massive!

[Paul]

Hey John, that's North America with the Gulf of Mexico you've got there!

[JohnC]

Nice to see all these after the clear skies. we've had lately.

Martin..that second photo, do you think that the leaning convective tower is because it ran out of updraught or is it caused by upper level wind shear (speed shear) Looks like the result of wind shear to me.

[Paul]

Some really magnificent Cirrus here this evening....

[John9929]

Some nice images there Paul, saw that straight cirus from here but it was too far off to get an image. LOL I see what you mean about mine, I never noticed that

[Big Dipper]

Some nice pictures posted on this thread. It's been a long time since I can remember having such a long run of clear nights. If there were to be some thundery outbreaks, to me that would be the icing on the cake!

[brianb]

It's been a long time since I can remember having such a long run of clear nights.

Me too. Yesterday afternoon's cirrostratus cleared to another clear night, six in a row....  But the air has changed, it was a bit cooler & noticeably more humid, and the transparency is better. The activity yesterday must have been a very weak cold front.

[martinastro]

Those are really good images guys, very nice cirrus clouds!

The convection eventually died out yesterday evening here to be replaced by wide spread cirrus which produced a halo and dogs, then after sunset it cleared away to the reveal the best clear night all week. The cooler air moving down was very evident making for a pleasant night.

Roll on thundery breakdown, weather looks to be turning more unsettled again in the near future.

I forgot to reply to John C's post, the towers were leaning over due to vertical wind shear, always a good thing to have.