Ahoy hoy.
Long time lurker, first time poster and all that jazz. I’ll skip the introductions and get to what I saw.
Decided to pop my post cherry tonight because I live not far from the OP and have seen these flashes twice tonight myself
I’m lying in bed typing this now, so no I wont be hanging out my window trying to capture a split second flash with a camera phone, I will however
try to provide as much detail and insight as I can. I’ve done my best to try to figure out where it could have came from and ponder on what it could
have been, because in all my years living in this area I’ve never seen anything like it. Curiosity has got the better of me I guess, hence the post
on here.
I saw two flashes at different times tonight, Both whilst having a cig in a friends garden, about 13 miles inland from the mouth of the Tyne, western
outskirts of Newcastle, about 130m above sea level, Looking easterly. 1st flash was during half time in the Madrid v City game (8:30 to 8:45pm GMT),
then 2nd was some time after the game, I would say about 10:30 to 10:45pm.
When I saw the first flash, I mentioned it to my friend who had his back to it, and he suggested lightning. I didn’t think so. What struck me about
the light was it seemed to generate from the ground and arc, dome like over the sky. My friend did however see the second one, along with myself
later on. This one appeared weaker, but he also agreed that it didn’t look like lightning. I know Denver22 has kindly posted a weather link, but the
sky was totally clear, not a cloud to be seen. And then there was the lack of thunder. Also seems a long time for a thunder storm to be kicking
around? I’m not closed to the possibility of it being lightning, I’m just saying it didn’t look like it to me, I’ve never seen lightning like
that before.
One thing’s for sure, it’s almost definitely out over the North Sea somewhere. It would be interesting to see what directions others are seeing it
from. I would imagine that catch_a_fire down over Redcar way * thought: Probably for his sins ;-). Who is viewing the light from further south/east
from me, was looking in a north easterly direction at the time. For me, the lights seemed to be stationary (ish) surely a thunderstorm over that time
would have moved somewhat?
This has got to be the point where I start to start throwing guesses into the ring as to what it could have been right? Flares from ship in distress?
Arc welding from the many wind farms, oil & gas rigs off the shore line? Military training? Or something more other worldly even? . . . . . . . . . .
. Hold on, could Denver22 Have been right? Let’s check. . . . . .
www.floodwarn.co.uk...
Yup, think Denver22 is onto something.
Oh well, that’s that for me, off to kip now. I’ll sleep better knowing that at least I’ve broke my posting virginity, and what I saw was most
probably just lightning.
The strange one for me still though is the way it seemed to come from the ground. I’m guessing curvature of earth, distance storm was away from me,
or some other shizzle. . . . . . .