Skip to content

Dramatic lightning strikes captured over south's skies

Katie WapleSouth of England
News imageGraham Wiffen Three forks of lightning can be seen in a purple sky. The photo has been taken from a clifftop looking out towards Christchurch and Bournemouth.Graham Wiffen
Forks of lightning were caught coming down from a stormy Dorset sky by Graham Wiffen

Dramatic lightning strikes lit up skies across the south of England overnight in the wake of the recent hot weather.

Photographers from Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight captured a range of weather from forks of lightning to hailstones.

Weather Watcher Steve Charlton said the storm woke him up as he thought someone was throwing stones at his windows, but instead it was hailstones as "big as golf balls".

It follows the UK's record-breaking heat, which saw temperatures exceed 34C in south-east England.

News imageSteve Charlton Three large, white hailstones sit in the palm of a handSteve Charlton
Steve Charlton said the hailstones in Ringwood were as "big as golf balls"
News imageRainbow Watcher Dramatic dark trees are visible on the horizon with a cloudy grey sky and big white lightning bolt.Rainbow Watcher
Dramatic lightning was also captured by Rainbow Watcher in Burton, Dorset
News imageHengist of Woky Two bolts of lightning shoot across a bright blue sky above houses and trees on the horizon.Hengist of Woky
The sky was still blue in this photo of the storm captured over Barton on Sea in Hampshire by Weather Watcher Hengist of Woky
News imageLewis Jefferies Pink lightning captured by Lewis Jefferies in Portsea, PortsmouthLewis Jefferies
Lightning made a striking backdrop to the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth as captured by Weather Watcher Lewis Jefferies
News imageRyan H Weather Watcher - Ryan H captured this lightning storm with purple skies in Southampton.Ryan H
Purple lightning was seen striking in Southampton by Weather Watcher Ryan H
News imageCJ Weather Watcher - CJ captured the lightning in a grey sky over Poole.CJ
Lightning is caused by a buildup of static electricity inside storm clouds as seen here in Poole by Weather Watcher CJ

Send us your storm photos by uploading them to the BBC Weather Watchers platform.

Related stories