Date: 06-06-1998
Time: 17:10 BST
Location: Macclesfield, Cheshire UK
Type: Multicell
Documented by: Mark Seltzer
Equipment: Samsung VP-H65 Video Camera
Footage Quality: VHS

Storm Statistics: T0012.doc
Event Timeline: T0012events.xls

This storm created one of the heaviest bursts of rain I have personally seen to date, with huge rain-drops falling at high intensity. On the BBC precipitation radar there was a pronounced red echo in the nearby area giving away the storm-core. The cell cluster seemed to extend all the way from Macclesfield to Liverpool and the West Coast in a wave along a volatile front line ahead of an approaching cold front. After dumping a shed load of rain on Macclesfield and giving a few shots of lightning, it swept over Manchester and then later more northern parts.

The discharges the storm gave were of high-amp nature. However they were far between with around 5-10 minutes between each discharge. The visibility was also reduced as sunlight was penetrating around the outsides of the storm, giving it almost a bright day feel, and the lightning as a consequence wasn’t very visible even to the camera. In the heavy rain it was very blustery giving away strong downdrafts which made it hard to film head-on without getting rain on the lens.

The lightning caught on camera concluded at 4 sheet flashes (could have been reflections of visible streaks), 3 C-Cs and one C-G discharge. Shortly after the storm cleared the area, a separate cell (T0013) started to move in from the south and trundled Northwest over the Pennines.

WETTERZENTRALE SPHERICS (CREDITS)
EUROPE 24-hour LIGHTNING SPHERIC LOCATION
EUROPE 24-hour LIGHTNING SPHERIC INTENSITY

DUNDEE SATELLITE IMAGES (CREDITS)
VISIBLE 06.06.1998 17:48
INFRARED 06.06.1998 17:48
COLOUR 06.06.1998 17:48

VISIBLE 06.06.1998 17:48 + Grid
INFRARED 06.06.1998 17:48 + Grid
COLOUR 06.06.1998 17:48 + Grid