Philip Eden

nacho libre

http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/sunday-telegraph-the-london-uk/mi_8064/is_20100822/thunder-turns-green-pleasant-land/ai_n54869509/

It does seem thunderstorms from Biscay are getting rarer for us too.
The last notable Spanish plume i recall was in 2001. The excitement in the lead up, as the faint rumbling gradually got louder, was class. Then at its peak there was fork lightning in every direction you looked. I've seen good thunderstorms on the continent, but it's not the same as experiencing them at home

Su Campu

It's amazing how on the one hand you have the UKMO saying that sever storms are on the increase, and the likes of the Boscastle events will be a common occurence with climate change, then on the other hand you have Philip's evidence stating the opposite.

I go with Philip on this one. We're now entering a natural progression of negative PDO, after decades of positive PDO. Global temperatures have levelled out over the past 12 years, and will continue downwards over the next few decades. All natural cycles.

Watch Joe Bastardi's videos, or read this.

Deep Easterly

nacho libre wrote: »

http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/sunday-telegraph-the-london-uk/mi_8064/is_20100822/thunder-turns-green-pleasant-land/ai_n54869509/

It does seem thunderstorms from Biscay are getting rarer for us too.
The last notable Spanish plume i recall was in 2001. The excitement in the lead up, as the faint rumbling gradually got louder, was class. Then at its peak there was fork lightning in every direction you looked. I've seen good thunderstorms on the continent, but it's not the same as experiencing them at home

Only personal observation but there does seem to be a decline in not only in thunderstrom frequency, but also in thunderstorm intensity over the last few years in this neck of the woods at least, and not only in the summertime. Winter thunder has really dwindled down to nothing also.

It seems odd that we cannot get even a brief Spanish plume anymore. Even odder is that we just can't seem to draw in any upper or surface streams in from the continent either. . Most summers I remember seemed to have one or two spells of this type of weather which brought a real 'summery' feel to the air, but over the last couple of years, we just seem to be stuck in the same pattern of no-mans-landness; nither getting hit full on by Atlantic systems or getting any real plumes from the south or south-east.

This type of weather usually stems from a strong ridge extending down from the north (usually over Scandinavia) into eastern Europe which helps to divert normal Atlantic lows southwards into the Biscay or west Meditrainian area, which in turn helps to draw in air from the Continent ahead of a thundery trough moving in from the SW.

My user name is actually based on this type of set up, but it is a name that has become void at this stage. :(

Edit: Why Easterlies are good for the west!



A sudden shower with thunder just breaks out at random on a fine and warm May day!!

Taken later that evening:


A warm continental type skyscape in Galway!


Chart for midnight 13th May 2008:



I think I may come across as being slightly obsessive about easterly weather, but I don't care....:p

BEASTERLY

Deep Easterly wrote: »

Only personal observation but there does seem to be a decline in not only in thunderstrom frequency, but also in thunderstorm intensity over the last few years in this neck of the woods at least, and not only in the summertime. Winter thunder has really dwindled down to nothing also.

It seems odd that we cannot get even a brief Spanish plume anymore. Even odder is that we just can't seem to draw in any upper or surface streams in from the continent either. . Most summers I remember seemed to have one or two spells of this type of weather which brought a real 'summery' feel to the air, but over the last couple of years, we just seem to be stuck in the same pattern of no-mans-landness; nither getting hit full on by Atlantic systems or getting any real plumes from the south or south-east.

This type of weather usually stems from a strong ridge extending down from the north (usually over Scandinavia) into eastern Europe which helps to divert normal Atlantic lows southwards into the Biscay or west Meditrainian area, which in turn helps to draw in air from the Continent ahead of a thundery trough moving in from the SW.

My user name is actually based on this type of set up, but it is a name that has become void at this stage. :(

Edit: Why Easterlies are good for the west!



A sudden shower with thunder just breaks out at random on a fine and warm May day!!

Taken later that evening:


A warm continental type skyscape in Galway!

LOL , my username is named after this set up too, and can be quickly adapted for the like of last winter , a good auld beast from the east!

Although as plumes have been so rare in recent years , thundery showers from an unstable north-westerly has been our best chance of getting storms.

EDIT: I miss that radar , ''wow downpour heading this way according to the radar , oh wait it's totally clear... dam interference'''

2006 did have a plume around the end of june/start of july , we got some nice storms off the sea. Twas great all together:D

Su Campu

Hey, don't start getting all emotional and reminiscent on me now, with sea surface temperatures at their warmest around now, and next week's High looking like shifting to the east, there's more than a chance we'll see some action! (OK, that's not a proper Spanish plume setup, but with the High a bit further north we could be in business!)

Lumi

Deep Easterly wrote: »

Taken later that evening:


A warm continental type skyscape in Galway!

Lovely atmospheric photo of the Bay DE! The sun looks like it's floating in the water.
The last decent thunderstorm I remember in Galway was during the 'Wet Life' concert :D

Deep Easterly

Fionagus wrote: »

Lovely atmospheric photo of the Bay DE! The sun looks like it's floating in the water.

Thanks Fiona , but believe it or not, that was taken north of Tuam close to the Mayo border! The sun is actually setting behind a layer of surface haze, but I have to admit, it does look like it could have been taken in Spiddal overlooking the Bay alright.

Fionagus wrote:

The last decent thunderstorm I remember in Galway was during the 'Wet Life' concert :D

Was that the June 21st 08 event? Got a direct hit from that storm too. Highest 1hr fall in my personal records so far. 47mm in 50mins, 49mm in 60mm!


DWD frontal analysis around the time that particular storm approached Galway:



Sadly the last time I witnessed branched lightning crawling in slow motion across the sky!

Lumi

Deep Easterly wrote: »

Was that the June 21st 08 event?
Sadly the last time I witnessed branched lightning crawling in slow motion across the sky!

That's the one!! I watched the storm from Circular Road - spectacular !!:)

Deep Easterly

Fionagus wrote: »

That's the one!! I watched the storm from Circular Road - spectacular !!:)

http://www.galwayindependent.com/local-news/local-news/floods-wash-out-westlife/

Was the weather trying to tell Westlife something? :pac:

Lumi

Deep Easterly wrote: »

http://www.galwayindependent.com/local-news/local-news/floods-wash-out-westlife/

Was the weather trying to tell Westlife something? :pac:

Hmm! The Weather gods obviously have dubious musical taste seeing as they all turned out in force for a Westlife concert

WolfeIRE

nacho libre wrote: »

The excitement in the lead up, as the faint rumbling gradually got louder, was class.

my winter monster nacho? have made a bed up for him/her this year. that visit in January was too fleeting.

Deep Easterly

Fionagus wrote: »

Hmm! The Weather gods obviously have dubious musical taste seeing as they all turned out in force for a Westlife concert

Mention of the same storm during a football match in Tuam that evening:

http://www.galwayindependent.com/sport/sport/killererin-and-moycullen-replay-washed-out/