Flashes in the sky, south east England?

Question

Does anyone know what's causing the flashes in the sky in the Portsmouth area? They are like lightning but are occurring every 10 seconds or so and there's no thunder or noise so I don't think it can be fireworks. It's been going on for at least an hour.

I actually live about 10 miles north of Portsmouth and the flashes are coming from a North Easterly direction.

Has anyone else seen them?

Answer 1

I live in East Anglia, and one night I saw exactly what you've just described - odd lightning-like flashes but no thunder, and occuring every 10 or so seconds. Sorry I can't give any kind of insight, as I'm as stumped as you are. Hopefully others can shed some light!

Answer 2

There's a severe thunderstorm over the North Downs.  I can see it in South London.  You're too far away to hear the thunder.

Answer 3

I think you're probably referring to sheet lightning, some call it in-cloud lightning, as it looks like the lightning strikes within the cloud and not to the earth. It's usually quite frequent flashes but with no thunder.

Answer 4

I'm in Essex, and it's thunder 'n lightning here right now. Been pouring down as well.

Answer 5

If a lightning strike is a sufficient distance from the observer, sound from the strike will not be heard. These silent bolts are called heat lightning. Lightning bolts produce thunder, but the thunder sound does not travel all the way to the observer if the observer is too far away.

The movement of sound in the atmosphere depends on the atmospheric properties of the air such as temperature and density. Because temperature and density change with height, the sound of thunder is refracted through the troposphere. This refraction results in spaces of volume in which the thunder does not propagate through.

Answer 6

we'r getting it too, i live in hackney,south east london,and im confused too,i got told by me nan that it could be a dry storm,which is worse than normal ones i think

Answer 7

I am in Portsmouth and I haven't seen anything!

Answer 8

I live in Brighton and have been watching these flashes.. it turns out they are lightening believe it or not. and we have had loadsa thunder.