Best UK storm I can remember was in August 1997. It stayed overhead pretty much all night. No one could sleep so we all went into my parents bedroom ans watched the storm all night out the window. I don't think it went 10 seconds without the sky lighting up and the thunder made the whole house shake. I think we worked out there were 3 different storms going on. The rain was also extremely heavy too, so much so it washed all the scrap and a trailer down the road from the scout hut at the top. A house a few streets over got struck by lightening and burnt down, luckily the owners were on holiday at the time.
The three best foreign storms I have experienced were:
Bangkok - Thailand: We went for a wander around the city when literally out of nowhere lightening was hitting everywhere and the thunder drowned out the noise of the city. Within 30 seconds we were soaked to the bone. A police officer told us to get inside as it was not safe and even the locals were running inside so it must have been serious! It didn't last for long but the place we hid in turned out to be a fantastic restaurant that we ended up visiting regularly. Once it died down we headed back to the hotel and it then picked back up and we watched lightening come down all over the city from the 33rd floor of out hotel. It was quite a sight.
Xian - China: It had been a very humid day and the thunder started to rumble followed by a typical Asian monsoon. We all sheltered in a Starbucks whilst the locals were quite happily walking around with lightening rods AKA umbrellas. There was an outdoor section that was sheltered by a roof so we were all standing in there. i felt a tingle all over my body and then a second later a bolt truck the opposite side of the little garden bit about 15ft away, it made all the little hairs on our bodies stand up and the bang was the loudest thing I've ever heard. It felt like I had a mini heart attack and we all cowered inside until it was over.
Maldives: By far the most beautiful storm I've ever seen. We went just at the of rainy season so out of 14 days we had 3 days of monsoon. It was late afternoon so as the sun was setting the thunderclouds gathered which looked beautiful with the sun going down behind them. the rain started followed by the thunder and then the lightening. Out there it all gradually builds up to a crescendo then suddenly disappears. The lightening was all different colours and it lit up the beautiful ocean in a way that really was breathtaking. We all just stood on the verandah in awe, there aren't words to describe it. The worst part of it happened to fall around dinner time so we had to scurry through the trees to the dining area. all the diners were sitting there looking like drowned rats.
1987 hurricane - woke up with the first puff of winds and lay terrified huddled under the duvet for hours expecting the roof to blow off any second. Got up about 5.30am to get ready for work, to meet my mum on the landing asking 'was it a bit windy last night', my Dad and brother both slept through the entire thing
1987 hurricane - woke up with the first puff of winds and lay terrified huddled under the duvet for hours expecting the roof to blow off any second. Got up about 5.30am to get ready for work, to meet my mum on the landing asking 'was it a bit windy last night',my Dad and brother both slept through the entire thing
My brother's children were 6 and 8 at the time. They had an agrophobic guinea pig at that time called Fluffy. During the hurricane the door of Fluffy's cage got blown away but he was still there in the morning
We don't do real storms here in the UK. When I lived in South Africa we had thunderstorms that would last for nearly a day, with the water coming so hard out of the sky you couldn't see further than a few metres away through the rain. The lightning would be constant and everything used to get knocked out by it, electricity, phones, roads, the works.
We don't do real storms here in the UK. When I lived in South Africa we had thunderstorms that would last for nearly a day, with the water coming so hard out of the sky you couldn't see further than a few metres away through the rain. The lightning would be constant and everything used to get knocked out by it, electricity, phones, roads, the works.
You should try living in the remotest pasts of the Scottish Highlands and Island then,
Maybe about 5 years ago on the M62/621. I started with wipers, fast wipers, then had to give up and pull into a layby (think I'd made it to the A road by then) and sit it out. The rain was just like water was being poured directly onto the car in great quantities. Turned out later it was the tail of a tornado.
On a family camping holiday somewhere in the south or west of France, when we arrived at the campsite the owner was trying to explain that something was happening that evening by miming 'booms in the sky'. We weren't sure if she was talking about fireworks or a storm.
That evening whilst the whole town gathered at the sea front for a party we found out it was both!
A massive electrical storm started in the distance and filled up the view across the horizon and could be seen between the two headlands that made up the bay.
Shortly afterwards the best fireworks display I have ever seen started - fireworks were set off all around the bay up to the headlands and were exploding to the backdrop of the distant storm. Nice timing!
No idea what the party was all about but the fireworks were huge - some exploded in many stages as the crowd counted each one - un, deux, trois, up to about 10 for some of them.
After almost two days becalmed between Morocco and the Canary Islands in 2003 on a tall-ship we were walloped with a force 11 to force 12 storm. It tore the main course which had to be repaired at 3am!
I remember coming on watch at 4am and being at the wheel whilst strapped to the railing behind because the ship was listing from 40 degrees one way to 40 degrees the other whilst going up and down in the swell.
There was also lightning galore flashing through the sky.
Thankfully the floor grips and hooks for wheelchairs were strong enough that none of the wheelchair users onboard were thrown about!
We took a light aircraft flight from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon. Lightning was going around the plane. I don't like storms anyway but his this really scary. One guy said the lightning turned an 80ft tree into matchsticks the day before.:eek:
In the UK - Edinburgh
Boxing Day hurricane 1998
Our 5ft chimney blew down and came through the roof and we saw the walls blowing inwards down the chimney shaft - there was a huge mirror on there as well and we thought it was going to shatter and be covered in glass. We had to go downstairs for the night as we were petrified to stay upstairs.
We don't do real storms here in the UK. When I lived in South Africa we had thunderstorms that would last for nearly a day, with the water coming so hard out of the sky you couldn't see further than a few metres away through the rain. The lightning would be constant and everything used to get knocked out by it, electricity, phones, roads, the works.
Yeah I'm in India for a couple of months with work and I experienced lightning like I've never seen before. Flashes every 2 seconds and it went on for hours and hours, spectacular.
About 7 years ago in Santa Susanna, Costa Blanca we were on holiday just enjoying what you normally do on hols in Spain, laze about by the pool. We were sunbathing and watching the temperature/clock on the wall and the temp went down by about 15 degrees and the locals scarpered. We thought it was great that we practically had the pool to ourselves so jumped in dispite the rain starting to absolutely pour down. This storm just came out of nowhere to us but obviously the spanish knew it was coming. We had to stay outside and watch it all as the hotel locked the doors(??) but it was a beautiful tropical storm, it had made some unusual colours in the sky. We watched the pool fill up even more and the sunterrace where we were was getting deeper and deeper that our sunbeds were floating! It had split trees and cracked the promenade by the beach and left alot of debris around.
Just last month we were caught in many thunderstorms in Illinois. We were just missed by the tornadoes that hit somewhere north of where we were (Springfield). We were driving back from Decatur and got caught in the most horrendous storm I have ever seen. Lightning was hitting the road just inches away from the car and you could see the clouds forming the funnel things that start a tornado. The warning siren was going off for hours at a time but nothing came. I caught all this on camera and thought it was fascinating. The scariest thing about it was seeing a figure in a black cloak walking the gardens of the presidential mansion in Springfield during the storm!
1987 hurricane - woke up with the first puff of winds and lay terrified huddled under the duvet for hours expecting the roof to blow off any second. Got up about 5.30am to get ready for work, to meet my mum on the landing asking 'was it a bit windy last night', my Dad and brother both slept through the entire thing
I remember that one, my Dad had to go outside and tie the boat he had outside the house down in his PJ's in the middle of the night in gale force winds as it had been blown off the trailer. And Michael Fish said there wasn't going to be a storm:rolleyes::)
About 7 years ago in Santa Susanna, Costa Blanca we were on holiday just enjoying what you normally do on hols in Spain, laze about by the pool. We were sunbathing and watching the temperature/clock on the wall and the temp went down by about 15 degrees and the locals scarpered. We thought it was great that we practically had the pool to ourselves so jumped in dispite the rain starting to absolutely pour down. This storm just came out of nowhere to us but obviously the spanish knew it was coming. We had to stay outside and watch it all as the hotel locked the doors(??) but it was a beautiful tropical storm, it had made some unusual colours in the sky. We watched the pool fill up even more and the sunterrace where we were was getting deeper and deeper that our sunbeds were floating! It had split trees and cracked the promenade by the beach and left alot of debris around.
Just last month we were caught in many thunderstorms in Illinois. We were just missed by the tornadoes that hit somewhere north of where we were (Springfield). We were driving back from Decatur and got caught in the most horrendous storm I have ever seen. Lightning was hitting the road just inches away from the car and you could see the clouds forming the funnel things that start a tornado. The warning siren was going off for hours at a time but nothing came. I caught all this on camera and thought it was fascinating. The scariest thing about it was seeing a figure in a black cloak walking the gardens of the presidential mansion in Springfield during the storm!
Spain is well known for it's sudden storms. It's because the pressure and weather systems coming off the mountains hitting the warm sea air. Makes for great storms.
Got a few good ones in Greece and the locals could tell you almost to the exact minute the storm would hit.
126 mph hurricane force winds that swept a family of 5 out to sea in January 2005 [Scotland.]
I remember it well, unbelievable night out here in the Western Isles. The next day was actually really nice and you wouldn't have thought it possible that the night before had been so bad - until you saw the extraordinary amount of damage that took months and months to sort out. We're used to severe gales out here but that one was horrendous. I remember another in 1989 (I think) that knocked our power out for at least 2 days.
Yeah I'm in India for a couple of months with work and I experienced lightning like I've never seen before. Flashes every 2 seconds and it went on for hours and hours, spectacular.
That's exactly it. It's really exciting whist the storm is there. Just a shame that when it's over everyone has to spend weeks cleaning up the mess.
August 1985. Violent electrical storm in rural north Aberdeenshire. In short our house and nearly every other house within a square mile radius were all struck by lightning within a short space of time. Flash floods, end of the world darkness in mid afternoon. Really the most terrifying storm I've seen. Not helped that we still had overhead telephone lines and everytime there was strike the phone would ring briefly as the current surged down the phone lines.
Next worst August 2004 also in Aberdeenshire, so much lightning it went off the scale of the system used to detect lightning strikes. We really do get some beasts in NE Scotland and very often we get multi-cell breakouts that last for hours like a conveyor belt.
.Lauren.
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The three best foreign storms I have experienced were:
Bangkok - Thailand: We went for a wander around the city when literally out of nowhere lightening was hitting everywhere and the thunder drowned out the noise of the city. Within 30 seconds we were soaked to the bone. A police officer told us to get inside as it was not safe and even the locals were running inside so it must have been serious! It didn't last for long but the place we hid in turned out to be a fantastic restaurant that we ended up visiting regularly. Once it died down we headed back to the hotel and it then picked back up and we watched lightening come down all over the city from the 33rd floor of out hotel. It was quite a sight.
Xian - China: It had been a very humid day and the thunder started to rumble followed by a typical Asian monsoon. We all sheltered in a Starbucks whilst the locals were quite happily walking around with lightening rods AKA umbrellas. There was an outdoor section that was sheltered by a roof so we were all standing in there. i felt a tingle all over my body and then a second later a bolt truck the opposite side of the little garden bit about 15ft away, it made all the little hairs on our bodies stand up and the bang was the loudest thing I've ever heard. It felt like I had a mini heart attack and we all cowered inside until it was over.
Maldives: By far the most beautiful storm I've ever seen. We went just at the of rainy season so out of 14 days we had 3 days of monsoon. It was late afternoon so as the sun was setting the thunderclouds gathered which looked beautiful with the sun going down behind them. the rain started followed by the thunder and then the lightening. Out there it all gradually builds up to a crescendo then suddenly disappears. The lightening was all different colours and it lit up the beautiful ocean in a way that really was breathtaking. We all just stood on the verandah in awe, there aren't words to describe it. The worst part of it happened to fall around dinner time so we had to scurry through the trees to the dining area. all the diners were sitting there looking like drowned rats.
It was very frightening how high the sea came.
My brother's children were 6 and 8 at the time. They had an agrophobic guinea pig at that time called Fluffy. During the hurricane the door of Fluffy's cage got blown away but he was still there in the morning
Wasn't much.
Bit of wind and rain. I slept through most of it.
You should try living in the remotest pasts of the Scottish Highlands and Island then,
Not telling.
Saw a typhoon hit Hong Kong that was pretty bad.
That evening whilst the whole town gathered at the sea front for a party we found out it was both!
A massive electrical storm started in the distance and filled up the view across the horizon and could be seen between the two headlands that made up the bay.
Shortly afterwards the best fireworks display I have ever seen started - fireworks were set off all around the bay up to the headlands and were exploding to the backdrop of the distant storm. Nice timing!
No idea what the party was all about but the fireworks were huge - some exploded in many stages as the crowd counted each one - un, deux, trois, up to about 10 for some of them.
Absolutely awe-inspiring sight.
I remember coming on watch at 4am and being at the wheel whilst strapped to the railing behind because the ship was listing from 40 degrees one way to 40 degrees the other whilst going up and down in the swell.
There was also lightning galore flashing through the sky.
Thankfully the floor grips and hooks for wheelchairs were strong enough that none of the wheelchair users onboard were thrown about!
We took a light aircraft flight from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon. Lightning was going around the plane. I don't like storms anyway but his this really scary. One guy said the lightning turned an 80ft tree into matchsticks the day before.:eek:
In the UK - Edinburgh
Boxing Day hurricane 1998
Our 5ft chimney blew down and came through the roof and we saw the walls blowing inwards down the chimney shaft - there was a huge mirror on there as well and we thought it was going to shatter and be covered in glass. We had to go downstairs for the night as we were petrified to stay upstairs.
Yeah I'm in India for a couple of months with work and I experienced lightning like I've never seen before. Flashes every 2 seconds and it went on for hours and hours, spectacular.
It wasn't meant in a bossy tone, more an inquisitive tone, but i guess that doesn't come across on the internet.
Just last month we were caught in many thunderstorms in Illinois. We were just missed by the tornadoes that hit somewhere north of where we were (Springfield). We were driving back from Decatur and got caught in the most horrendous storm I have ever seen. Lightning was hitting the road just inches away from the car and you could see the clouds forming the funnel things that start a tornado. The warning siren was going off for hours at a time but nothing came. I caught all this on camera and thought it was fascinating. The scariest thing about it was seeing a figure in a black cloak walking the gardens of the presidential mansion in Springfield during the storm!
I remember that one, my Dad had to go outside and tie the boat he had outside the house down in his PJ's in the middle of the night in gale force winds as it had been blown off the trailer. And Michael Fish said there wasn't going to be a storm:rolleyes::)
Spain is well known for it's sudden storms. It's because the pressure and weather systems coming off the mountains hitting the warm sea air. Makes for great storms.
Got a few good ones in Greece and the locals could tell you almost to the exact minute the storm would hit.
Shame we don't get many huge storms here.
I remember it well, unbelievable night out here in the Western Isles. The next day was actually really nice and you wouldn't have thought it possible that the night before had been so bad - until you saw the extraordinary amount of damage that took months and months to sort out. We're used to severe gales out here but that one was horrendous. I remember another in 1989 (I think) that knocked our power out for at least 2 days.
Next worst August 2004 also in Aberdeenshire, so much lightning it went off the scale of the system used to detect lightning strikes. We really do get some beasts in NE Scotland and very often we get multi-cell breakouts that last for hours like a conveyor belt.