Posted: Wed 24th Jul 2019

Crew of Hawarden based police helicopter capture lightning strikes through night vision goggles

News and Info from Deeside, Flintshire, North Wales
This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Jul 24th, 2019

A huge thunderstorm struck much of the UK overnight as the heatwave continues. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Temperatures in Hawarden reached 30ºC on Tuesday, overnight they remained at an uncomfortable 24ºC before dropping to around 19ºC.  ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Thunderstorms moved into southern and western areas late last night, a Met Office yellow severe weather warning was in play for most of Wales, England and Scotland until this morning.  ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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[Cumulative lightning strikes from last night’s storm mapped] ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Nearly 40,000 lightning strikes were recorded across the UK during the storm. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

North Wales was reported to be the wettest area in the Britain overnight, with 15mm of rain falling in just one hour. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The crew of Hawarden based police helicopter – NPAS Hawarden captured lightning strikes through their onboard night vision equipment has they headed back to base. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Tweeting a video one the crew stated  ‘Lightning storms through Night Vision Goggles on a speedy retreat back to base.’ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

[The National Police Air Service uses Fenn NG700 goggles which gives the crews enhanced night vision capability.] ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service respond to a house fire in Wrexham overnight caused by a lightning strike, and while there was lots of lightning activity locally there have been no reports of damage in the Flintshire area. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Here are some lightning strikes caught on camera locally.  ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

  ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

[Paul Evans]
 

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You cn follow NPAS Hawarden on twitter here https://twitter.com/NPASHawarden ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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