h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

you forgot your david bellamy smiley when you said that

Are you referring to the leaf pattern that appears on people struck by lightening, I believe it's described as a fern pattern, and it's sometimes seen on people who survive lightening strikes.

Mckay......boom +3...fern pattern

OK

here goes

<< The Derby Race meeting held at Epsom Downs in Surrey has experienced some outstanding weather over the years with snow in 1867, a violent gale in 1820 and persistent heavy rain in 1830 that led to 13 false starts. But nothing can match the horrifying events of May 31st 1911.

Due to the Coronation of George V the Epsom Derby was held a week early and it was never so popular with an estimated 100,000 spectators gathered on the Downs on the 31st May. It is wonderful place to view the weather and the huge crowd enjoyed the sunshine and very warm conditions.

However even before the main race huge towering clouds were beginning to develop in the humid atmosphere and some distant thunder was heard. Sun Star had just won the race when a few hailstones came crashing down and anxious eyes were cast skywards to the gathering storm clouds. Suddenly a huge flash of lightning signalled the start of a mighty rush of water that literally cascaded from the heavens.

High on the chalk Downs there was no escape from the elements and within seconds ladies wearing light Summer clothing were thoroughly soaked. Even worse were their shrieks and wails as flash after flash of lightning was followed by ear splitting booms of thunder. Rain and hail fell in merciless torrents. The Great Derby Day Storm had begun.

This was no ordinary shower. Some 62mm of rain fell on the Downs in just 50 minutes and by the end of the storm 92mm was recorded in nearby Banstead. Such intense rain is classed as a very rare fall. The vast crowd fled the Downs but became bogged down in a veritable maelstrom of mud, water and hail. Lightning continued to flash constantly with 159 stokes in 15 minutes around 17.30hrs.

A number of people tried to take shelter against a wall and were struck - two died. A horse pulling a cart carrying racegoers was struck by lightning and died and a passenger was killed. The lightning had cut his hat with the brim slipping over his face. Emblazoned on his body, when it was later examined at Epsom mortuary, was a fern leaf pattern - common place in victims hit by lightning.

There was no escape for those who fled into marquees for shelter as eight people were struck in one tent whilst another man leaning on rails along side the course was struck and badly injured.

Chaos and death were not confined to the Downs for studies carried out at the time showed that there were three main storm centres. One centred over Harrow, north west London, which began earlier in the afternoon; another at Epsom and one in the Sevenoaks, Kent area with an axis to southeast London.

In Harrow around 81mm of rain was recorded and at Acton Cemetery lightning struck a wall which fell and killed a lady. But it was in the south of London and into Surrey where conditions were most severe. A policeman was cycling across Mitcham common was struck by lightning and killed. Even the fire station at Wimbledon was hit and set on fire.

The ferocity of the storm at its height was vividly portrayed by events at Bletchingley in Surrey 10km to the south east of Epsom. Prodigious amounts of rain fell causing a flash flood in the village and lightning darted amongst the buildings blasting holes in ceilings and giving nasty burns to one occupant. A flash left zigzag fractures in a wall and struck a young girl. Yet another flash damaged a cottage roof and left a long scar on a 10-year-old boy, the familiar leaf of a fern.

Luckily all the victims recovered. Further lightning strokes caused the collapse of a garage and the walls of a cottage. Nearby hail lay 15cm deep and horses had to pull out vehicles stuck in the ice. 5km to the north west of the village the London to Brighton railway line passes through the North Downs in a steep cutting. 60 tonnes of chalk and mud collapsed onto the track and an express train just managed to stop in time with its buffers touching the debris.>>



i would just like to thank the BBC weather pages for the last 2 questions

points to follow

Excellent Taff!!!




GT

The electric arcing on the day must have been mad - (and amazing to watch, from a safe distance, in a car, wearing stiff rubber boots etc)