[Nigel Bolton]

In the past, 24th June 2005 was the start of a very thundery period that lasted here in Devon until December 2006, there were near 40 thunderstorm days during this period. The storm on this day lasted about 12 hours with mod/ heavy rain and excellent lightning displays. Sequoia struck this night, though sustained little damage. This storm also flooded the site at Glastonbury and several of the stages were struck by lightning.

24th June 1994, the most intense thunderstorm by far I have witnessed occurred during the evening. Main areas affected, Thames Valley and Essex. Plenty to find about this storm if you dig around.

N.

[summer '85]

Nigel Bolton said:

24th June 1994, the most intense thunderstorm by far I have witnessed occurred during the evening. Main areas affected, Thames Valley and Essex. Plenty to find about this storm if you dig around.</p><p>N.</p>

Something we haven't seen much of the last couple of summers, some really intense thunderstorms. 24th June 1994 was a hot day for much of England and Wales and it went bang that evening in the SE. The radar image shown on the forecast was spectacular prompting John Kettley to call it "one of Matisse's lesser known works" in the broadcast.

[jonathanwebb]

The last Diamond Jubilee year, 1897, saw one of the most fierce hailstorms on record in the UK on midsummers day........in Essex the storm was comparable to the great storm on 26 May 1985

From the Kelvedon Hatch Parish Magazine.
The Great Hailstorm
On Midsummer Day, Thursday, June 24th, one of the most terrible storms experienced in Essex took place. The morning had been very hot and bright when suddenly at 3 p.m. the wind got up from the west and rain began to fall, followed almost immediately by a terrific hail storm, accompanied by thunder and lightening. Many of the hailstones measured 2½ inches in diameter and appeared to be almost solid ice. Before the storm, gardens and crops around looked most promising, appearing better than they had done for years, but within 15 minutes all was changed, nothing was left but blighted hopes and utter ruin - everything above ground seemed to be annihilated and destroyed. The force of the hail storm was such that it completely stripped the tress of all fruit, and even tore the bark off the trees - to say nothing of their leaves. The crops in the fields were simply cut to pieces.

The loss to this parish alone will exceed £2,000. Hardly a house in the parish escaped having its windows broken. At Brizes Park it is said over 900 panes of glass were shattered - at Kelvedon Hall over 400 - at Pryors, the Chase, the Rectory, upwards of 70 each - and other houses in the same proportion: greenhouses, &c., were simply wrecked.

[John Mason]

Amazing account, Jon. It sounds on a par with the 1843 Great Tew storm -http://www.geologywa...storms/1843.htm - that my mother alerted me to through her research in the Birmingham Archives.

From those accounts: "the land before it was as the Garden of Eden, behind it a barren and desolate wilderness"

Cheers - John

[Nigel Bolton]

jonathanwebb, on 21 January 2012 - 17:06, said:

The last Diamond Jubilee year, 1897, saw one of the most fierce hailstorms on record in the UK on midsummers day........in Essex the storm was comparable to the great storm on 26 May 1985

.

Another of the storms I was party to. Although I was not under the storm as it occurred, I certainly witnessed its aftermath. At the time, the most expensive hailstorm the UK had known.

N.