Thunder and Snow - How Come?

[BlueSkyNick]

I can't recall ever seeing thunder and lightening with a snow storm and would like to understand how this happened - the weather man on TV said it was a rare meteorological event, but didn't explain it.

My simple-minded view of an electric storm is two charged clouds of water vapour bumping into each other, becoming de-ionised, and falling to the ground at a rate of knots in the form of rain.

Yesterday in the South, we had fairly clear skies for most of the day. Then the wind picked up as a massive cold cloud moved in from the north, with nothing much in its way. Thunder and ligthening for about 30 seconds, heavy snow for about 30 minutes with more thunder and lightening, then it all stops again.

What does the panel think?

<hr width=100% size=1>I like work - it fascinates me. I could sit and look at it for hours!

 

[Chris_Robb]

Metcheck explained it as one of the most vigorous cold fronts they had ever seen.

I had to go up to London on the train so missed it. Still - its all over now - back to wind and rain for the weekend! There is a forecast for another cold snap for mid Feb.

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[brianhumber]

Re: Thunder and Snow and WIND -

Certainly was powerful and unusal. A tree came down a few in front of the car. I can live with the car damage as a few seconds later I and not the lamps would have been crushed. Have spent some time over night reassessing life's priorites

Brian

Brian

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[extravert]

I cannot explain it, but have seen it once before. Two of us were climbing Curved Ridge on Buchaille Etive More in Glencoe in February. We were in cloud, and it was gently snowing, but not particularly windy. We were about 100m from the top, I had just finished the pitch and was setting up the belay, when out of the blue (grey) there was a single flash of lightening, which I saw hit the top of the mountain 100m above. A few stones clattered down. We sat where we were for half an hour until we had got cold. To get off the mountain we had to go over the top, so we didn't hang around. However, there was no more activity that day.

<hr width=100% size=1>One day, I hope to own a real boat.

 

[jamesjermain]

I believe I am right in saying that any vigour air movement in a cloud can generate an electrical potential which can lead to lightening (and thunder). This is normally associated with the convection currents in a summer storm but can equally well be generated by the rapid rising of warm air over a vigours cold front as in this case.

My goodness! But it was spectacular - never seen anything like it in my life - which includes a period living in Norway and many ski trips to the Alps.

<hr width=100% size=1>JJ

 

[wooslehunter]

Certainly was sudden & unexpected. I was in a small jet from Paris to Southampton - great weather in Paris and at home according to SWMBO before we left. We started the descent to Southamton with a great view of the south coast. Then the skipper asked for seatbelts to be put on as we were to get a bit of turbulance. We got thick snow plus lots of turbulance and lightning. Quite a ride at a few 1000 feet & bumpier than I've had in a long while! Every airport in the south was shut except heathrow so we landed there 1 hour later

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[Twister_Ken]

Thunder and hail is not unusual even in mid-summer, so thunder and snow in winter should be possible.

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