THUNDERSTORM T0003
Date: Friday 23rd August 1996   Time: 14:00 BST
Location: Macclesfield, Cheshire UK
Path: 8-10 miles away moving Northwards

Synoptics: Convective trough along convergent low-hook
Duration: Unknown
Type: Multicell
Average lightning type: Cloud-to-Ground
Average discharge rate: Unknown
Footage Quality: None

I was going to try and audio-tape this storm but the tape recorder was broken. It was just as well as it never really got that close and drifted past Macclesfield to the west only giving distant thunder. However, there was a high consistency of C-G strikes, if not all, often two or three at once. This indicated either a low freezing level or significant vertical shear to separate the positive anvil region away from the negative tower. It was likely that both mechanisms were in force judging by the satellite imagery - post cold-front (colder air, low freezing level) and proximity to a strong upper jet (big vortex). I watched it until the storm drifted out of view shortly afterwards, but not before I snapped it with my film camera.

DUNDEE SATELLITE IMAGES (Credits)
VISIBLE 23.08.1996 13:28
INFRARED 23.08.1996 13:28
COLOUR 23.08.1996 13:28