Storms

At the moment it is windy and rainy here. At one point, I thought (wrongly) I had seen lightning. I was thinking about disconnecting my rigs and antennas, then checked the lightning map. It looks like the nearest storm is in the Mediterranean, so I think things can remain connected.

UPDATE  0953z: Now blue skies and sunshine!

Lightning in Europe

At the moment, the lightning is in mainland Europe with nothing shown here in the UK on the lightning maps. I guess the storms over northern France could be an issue in southern counties of the UK later.  Definitely worth a look in a few hours time.

Thunderstorm risk

As I was out for much of the day (see previous post) I turned off the rigs and disconnected things. After tea, I checked the lightning map and decided the storms were too far away to be a worry.

UPDATE 2125z: It looks like those thunderstorms are moving this way. At this rate, they will be hereabouts in the early hours. Rigs, PSU, PC and antennas are disconnected "just in case".

Storm risks

At the moment, there are storms in Switzerland, although we have a chance of storms in the UK later. As a precaution I have gone QRT and disconnected everything.

See https://www.lightningmaps.org/blitzortung/europe/index.php?lang=en

UPDATE 1800z: This afternoon we had thunder and lightning as well as rain.

Storms?

For about a week now it has been very hot indeed for us. Today could be the hottest June day ever. Please someone tell the president of the USA. No, global warming is not a Chinese hoax. Just look at the real data.

Tomorrow, the weather could break with a return to more usual June weather here in the UK. With heavy thunder and lightning, maybe tomorrow will not be a good day to play radios? I shall be watching the maps.

See https://www.lightningmaps.org/?lang=en#y=52.9182;x=-3.2938;z=5;t=3;m=sat;r=0;s=0;o=0;b=0.00;n=0;d=2;dl=2;dc=0;

Lightning risk?

For the first time this year we are threatened with lightning. If you want to check where the storms are in the UK check out this map.  If the storms get close, I shall disconnect rigs and antennas as a precaution.

More storms?

At the moment there are thunderstorms in the UK, but these seem to be out to the west and in the Oxford area according to http://www.lightningmaps.org . I shall remain on 10m WSPR and 6m WSPR,but if they get nearer I shall go QRT.

They seem to be moving this way - maybe disconnect everything in a few hours?

http://www.lightningmaps.org

Unlike weather forecasts these are actual storms. At this time of year especially, it is worth going to the linked maps to keep an eye on storm progress.

UPDATE 1857z:  At the moment the storms seem to be going in the Chelmsford and Corby directions and not coming towards us.

Storms in the UK and maps

Apart from in N.Ireland, the threat of thunderstorms seems to have receded with the UK largely free from thunder and lightning. It is always useful to check the maps at this time of the year.

See https://www.lightningmaps.org .

Certainly here in the UK, we have had a fine, settled period this week after some very cold weather. Last week there was an E-W split with fine weather in the west but cold, miserable weather further east. We are now moving back to more changeable weather.

Lightning maps

See https://www.lightningmaps.org for information on lightning in Europe. As I write, there are storms in Europe but not in the UK.

Lightning maps

See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en .

I find these maps very useful as they give advanced warnings of approaching storms. Even when storms are some way away you can get surges that can damage equipment. With approaching storms I tend to disconnect radios and PCs and unplug antennas and mains connectors.

Years ago, a friend at work got struck (his house) and I have always been a bit wary since. Thunder and lightning can be very nasty.

No lightning in Northern Europe

Here in the UK, most of us are enjoying a decent spell of settled weather with a big high pressure system overhead.  Looking at the lightning map, it looks storm-free over lots of northern Europe. No doubt things will change towards the end of the week when low pressure systems roll in again. Still, it is nice whilst it lasts. Maybe conditions on 2m and 70cm will be good with some tropo later in the week?

Thunder risks

This next few days we are at great risk of thunder and lightning. We are in the middle of a heatwave with hot, damp air moving up from the south. As a precaution I have disconnected the 10m and 6m WSPR rigs, PC, antennas and mains plugs.

Luckily I have never suffered a lightning strike but know friends who have. One was living in a very ordinary home, was not a radio amateur or SWL, had no big antennas, but his electrics were knocked for six and ruined. Earth's natural electrical activity should always be treated with respect. I don't like thunderstorms at all.  Even if not directly hit, the power surges can cause damage.

As I write this, Greece is having bad storms according to the maps.

See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en .

No storms here

The thunder and lightning that got quite close earlier today seems to have abated, for now at least.   The lightning map now shows storms in the North Sea and Northern France, but not in the UK. This means I can leave 10m WSPR running this afternoon and probably early evening.

See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en .  Always worth keeping an eye on this for approaching storms. I find these maps fascinating. Although not perfect, they give a good indication of when antennas and rigs need to be made safer.

UPDATE 1341z:  It is raining here now. Storms seem plentiful on the continent, but not in the UK.

Storms and lightning

Although dry here at present, a look at the lightning map shows there are nasty storms not that far east of this QTH.  I shall have to watch the maps carefully and disconnect antennas, PSUs and PC if it gets close.  Currently, these are configured for 472kHz use.

UPDATE 2200z:  Storms are too close for comfort, so going QRT on 472kHz WSPR overnight and unplugging antennas and PSUs. Although I have spotted, and been spotted, by a wide variety of stations, not one is new.

Storms to (just) miss us today?

See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en .   For now, the local thunder and lightning appears to be just avoiding us: it has tracked from Cambridge up into the Fens and seems to be moving NE. This is good news.

http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en

UPDATE 1600z:  There are new storms to the south of Newmarket and we can hear thunder in the distance now.  At the moment these are moving NE as well but I shall disconnect rigs, antennas and PC if they get too close.

UPDATE 1606z:  Lightning now just east of Newmarket and getting closer! Decision on going QRT will be taken in next few minutes.

6m/10m WSPR - or not?

I was about to switch back to 6m WSPR but the lightning map shows deteriorating weather with possible storms approaching from Lincolnshire and the North Sea.  Maybe I'll stay on 10m a while longer and then decide what to do. If the storms get close I shall go QRT.

UPDATE 1318z:  Well, the Lincolnshire storm is moving north. That means it is getting further away from here.  I'll QSY up to 6m WSPR later this afternoon, unless another storm rears its ugly head.

UPDATE 1410z:  GM4FVM (428km - very short 10m Es skip) copied strongly at -10dB S/N on 10m WSPR at 1340z. Suggests decent Es on higher bands.

UPDATE 1442z: First GDX today G8VDQ (93km) spotted on 10m WSPR at 1424z but quite weakly.

Sprites and Es?

DK0SC (827km) spotted my 2W at 1938z this evening. I wonder if there is correllation between lightning and Es? There is intense lightning over (close to) the mid path. I seem to recall that the link relates to sprites rising upwards from lightning clouds but forget the details.

Currently the storm centre appears to be tracking up the North Sea.

Storm risk passed?

See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en  .

About 3 hours ago there was thunder and lightning less than a mile away and very heavy rain, but all is now quiet here.  The nearest storm activity was at Wicken and Dullingham but these have subsided now. I suspect the main danger has now passed and I can safely reconnect rigs and antennas.

Will probably go on 6m WSPR later today.

Approaching storms

Although the nearest electrical storms are some way off (West Country and over the Cherbourg Pennisula) they are likely to be here tomorrow. As a precaution, I shall disconnect all rigs and antennas before bedtime. Probably they won't be here until later in the day, but better to be safe than sorry.

See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en .

No storms?

According to the lightning map, the nearest storm is over Boston in Lincolnshire some 90 miles away. There are no very recent strikes. I'll keep an eye on which way it is moving, but things here look benign, for now.

Will leave the gear on 6m for the time being unless things change. That storm map is a very useful guide to what is brewing up and heading this way.

UPDATE 1255z: Can hear distant thunder, although nearest storm is now Attleborough, Norfolk some 60 miles east of this location.