This image is fast becoming legendary on the storm forums, captured approaching the UK coast on July 14th by Chris and Jon Hayes. Chris's report is below. This was thought to be a rare supercell over the UK but now it's considered to be a squall line or MCS, in either case the structure to the shelf cloud is absolutely jaw dropping!!.
Larger image here...
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/4794259219_b450430ec3_o.jpgWell if ever the phrase "OMG" could be used today was it!
It started offnice, sunny, warm and around 15mph then after a while me and peter32 noticed the mother of all storm fronts coming in from the sea, I had been keeping an eye on it for around half an hour and everyone on the land and water was enjoying the effects of the front moving in.
Then a flash of lightning around 10-20 miles away after the 3rd every landbased kiter had landed and sanded there kites. As we stood there watching this monster grow and the front was moving at a rate that made you move your head to follow it.
After the 6th flash of lightning most of the water lads where running in and I went on kite catching duty and that was it!
ALL HELL BROKE LOSE!
The wind went from 20mph to 60-70mph in a second! Two lads where picked from the water one covered the entire beach Around 500m without touching the ground and only came down as he was tangled with another kiter who was in flight. People where sliding down the beach at around 30-40mph with their kites at the edge! I went to chase after one person but then he had around 10 people running after him so I made the mad dash back to my kite that was still weighted down yet moving up the beach. People left right and centre were trying to fire their safety but the load was to much to fire off from Naish to slingy not people where on their knees going across the beach tugging with both hands at the safety yet nothing! On the up side no one was badly hurt and only a couple of kites got damaged but it could have been so much worse!
