The London storms of July 1923

The brilliance and frequency of the lightning, the loudness of the thunder & the fact that it went on all night with torrential rain made it a formidable event for many. The continuous storm was really a series of seperate cells of course moving in a generally NNE direction which cut a swathe across Sussex and Surrey up into London.  An observer at Eton described the lightning as being a beautiful violet colour, noting how 'the whole southern horizon was ablaze but at first there was only the occasional low rumble of thunder and not a breath of wind to ease the sweltering conditions'. Here the storm struck during the late evening and raged for eight hours. On occasion there would be a brief lull as one cell moved away before 'the pyrotechnics began again with renewed vigour'.

A Times corresondent described the storm as seen from Sydenham Hill in some detail. He noted how it reminded many soldiers of the war, still fresh in the minds of many then, from the trenches, bringing bad memories of that conflict back with it. A 'fireball' was also seen as well, possibly again an instance of ball lightning. Hail was also reported as well.  

The storm however was not a plume event though, with an active cold front - as it did not move fresher clearer air through; it remained rather hot for a number of days longer in the southern UK before the hot sultry weather broke properly and it became cooler.