TUESDAY night’s thunderstorm was one of the biggest in recent years to cross Hampshire, causing snap power cuts in Petersfield and surrounding villages.
Surprisingly though only about a quarter of an inch of rain fell during the storm overnight on July 18, which came after a week of increasing heat.
Amateur meteorologist Richard Marks of Buriton said: “About one and a half inches of rain fell during the storm the previous Tuesday (July 11) but it wasn’t so big in terms of area as this one
“Temperatures climbed again the week after the one on July 11, and the storm into the morning of July 19 was one the biggest in terms of area we have seen in a very, very long time, it must have covered hundreds of square miles of Hampshire and Sussex.”
The sudden sharp and violent storms of July have been caused by the Spanish plume effect he added.
He said: “Hot weather from Spain and France has been crossing the Channel into Southern England.
“Since the end of May temperatures here have been higher, and the first two weeks of July have been significantly hotter than normal.
“But is this weather pattern of increasing heat and short sharp downpours a one-of, or is it going to become the norm, that’s the 64,000 dollar question, and at the moment we don’t the answer.”
In his element during the storm, which began about 11pm on Tuesday, July 18, and sparked brief power cuts in Petersfield, Liss and Rake, was butcher and amateur photographer Andy Price.
Knowing it was on its way, he parked on Butser Hill, set his camera up and waited.
Andy, who lives in Wales but works here during the week, said: “I knew it was coming and had my Nikon camera set up on a tripod looking toward the village of Chalton.
“The rain was lashing down and it was blowing, it was a good storm, and I was pleased with the photographs of the lightening.
“I reckon I stayed up there till about 2.45am on the Wednesday morning before heading back to Bordon where I am staying.”