PASSING STORM PS0006
Date: Early Spring 2003, March most likely  Time: Evening
Location: Reading, Berkshire UK
Path: ~ 10-15 miles north of Woodley, moving northeast

Synoptics: No idea, most likely polar maritime westerly,
Duration: 15 minutes
Type: Multicell
Average lightning type: C-C
Average discharge rate: 110 seconds
Footage Quality: VHS/Hi8
 

I filmed this storm at some point in early spring of 2003 whilst I was at university in Reading. It appeared in footage to be perhaps elevated, with a base and lightning type similar to that of T0049 (which was elevated) and the fact it was occurring after sundown increases the chances of this being elevated and not surface-based in a southwesterly flow. Unfortunately I didn’t note anything down about the conditions, nor the date and time it happened (was probably more interested in boozing) which was likely also driven by the fact I had no internet in my room.

I was filming it with a fellow hall-mate at the time. The cell was mature but weakening slowly as it drifted northeastwards about 15 miles north of our position. From what I gathered it was a convectional multicell with the focus of its lightning activity on its south-side (clear view from Reading as it was positioned north) and you can see a linear updraught base in the near-shot, indicating a forward-sheared storm.

The first discharge caught was a fantastic C-G discharge, and then followed by a dim C-C and the rest were I-Cs.