Spectacular ‘Steven Spielberg’ thunderstorm batters Southport with dramatic sheet lightning

Fierce thunderstorms lit up the skies above Southport last night leading to torrential rain and spectacular lightning shows. 

Our town experienced a ‘tropical night’ with temperatures largely remaining above 68F (20C) as rolling sheet lightning continued to light up the night sky. 

A number of roads across the region have been closed as a result of the weather and motorists are warned not to drive through floodwater.

A spokesperson for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said: “We are dealing with flooding incidents this morning across the county including Lancaster, Warton, Kirkham, Hesketh Bank and Burscough. There are a number of road closures in place, please don’t drive through flood water.

“With a similar weather forecast tonight and tomorrow, dry during the day followed by thunderstorms at night, we are working with partners to plan for more flooding this week and what can be done to try and minimise the effects of these storms.”

Hundreds of people commented on the breathtaking phenomenon on the Stand Up For Southport Facebook group, with many of you posting your pictures or videos, including the main image on this article, taken by by Peter McGonigal. 

Lawrence Preston said: “A great Steven Spielberg storm sky!”

Stuart Isenberg said: “I have never, ever seen non-stop sheet lightning before. Usually it’s over the sea, but it’s over the south at present. Awesome.”

Nikki Parker said: “I love a good thunderstorm but some of those thunderclaps last night were a bit much.”

Debbie Sayers Fullwood said: “Several AMAZING hours of a display by nature.”

Michala Leyland said: “Went on for hours. Like War of the Worlds.”

Andrea Siarkiewicz said: “I have never seen anything like it – it’s amazing! and storms never usually last this long here. We only heard the thunder when we opened the double glazed back door but it was lashing it down so we didn’t venture out. When I was a kid we lived in Scarborough – they had some crumping storms there.” 

#lightning would make a great painting! pic.twitter.com/2zeezbePQx

— Sefton Artists (@seftonartists) August 11, 2020

Louise Lambertsen said: “Just fabulous!! Loving it!! Never seen it like this before!!”

Helena Stephens said: “I am in Ainsdale and I have never seen lightning like it!”

Angela Bulteel said: “ALMOST MIDNIGHT and can still hear feint rumblings in the distance but the sky is still lighting up every few seconds near Crossens playing field.”

Simon Shrouder said: “Last time I saw a storm In the UK like this I was about 8. I am now 64.” 

William Thompson said: “Never seen lightning go upwards before! Spectacular.” 

William Howard said: “The air as the lightning abated was scented with the sea. Like when the tide comes in but much stronger.”

Simon Monk said: “Had them like this in the ‘80s – only difference was the power used to go out!”

For other people, last night’s wild weather brought back memories of storms from years past. 

Alison Jeffrey said: “I remember one very much like this in early June 1983. Strobe lightning went on for hours.

“I was on the antenatal ward at Christiana Hartley, very unwell.

“The midwives brought in golf ball sized hail to show us and several women went into labour that night. Staff said it was atmospheric pressure changes.”

Lynn Lee said: “I remember it well, it went on for hours. I kept those golf ball hailstones for ages in the freezer. Our youngest son was born in 1982.”

Elle Elmo Ball said: “Used to get storms like this in France camping in the summer in the ‘80s – it would light the tent up and the campsite so need for torches.”

Andrea Siarkiewicz said: “When I was three in Scarborough in 1960 we had frightening storms that went on for hours. I was terrified. My Gran would sit up in bed with me, the lightning was amazing through the curtains, the noise horrific (no double glazing back then) and I can’t tell you what she said to make me feel better, that sweet, harmless, gentle woman who was born in 1897 when times were very different. But what she said did make me feel better and I never forgot it.”

Natalia Evans said: “It’s bizarre, but wondering if anyone remembers the day in August 2003 when the sky went black , about 9am a cloud covering so total the street lights came on. And for an hour or so it was like night? We were moving house that day so remember it well using torches in the daytime.” 

The Met Office reported that as heavy rain battered Britain overnight, more than two months’ worth of rain fell in some places in a matter of hours – after the nation sweltered in baking temperatures close to 100F (38C) amid an ongoing heatwave.  

Sheet lightning above Southport by David Grice. He said: “Talk about capturing the moment! Just taken with my phone with no filter of the lightning storm. Holy hell!”

Flash floods struck Aberystwyth in Wales following an influx of rain at around 3pm on Monday, leaving roads underwater and parts of the market town’s drainage system overflowing.

Areas of Gwynedd also saw flooding before dramatic thunderstorms and torrential downpours struck much of the west coast of Britain overnight.    

Historically these sweltering evenings were so rare that only eight were recorded between 1961 to 1995, but the country has now seen 16 tropical nights this summer, with more to come.  

Despite the warmer temperatures, two inches of rain battered parts of north west Wales per hour as ‘severe’ thunderstorms gathered pace near the Snowdonia National Park on Monday evening. 

Currently Thunder and Lightning over @southport_fc ?⚡⚡ pic.twitter.com/8wfEemak7x

— warwick monk (@athole52) August 10, 2020

Storms also struck in Cumbria, with those in Whitehaven and Workington capturing striking images of lightning illuminating the sky before midnight.

The storm travelled up the west coast to Liverpool, Southport and Lancaster at around midnight last night.

Further thunderstorms are expected for the rest of this week until at least Thursday, with the Met Office admitting there is ‘significant uncertainty in location and timing’ as it covered the whole country in a four-day warning. 

Despite the downpours, Britain’s ten-day heatwave shows no signs of relenting and will continue until at least Friday, with the country enduring an extraordinary period of scorching weather. 

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