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​Incredible Bolt Of Lightning Dwarfs The Shard In London

​Incredible Bolt Of Lightning Dwarfs The Shard In London

The bolt was so large that it made the 310-metre-tall Shard look tiny by comparison.

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

Everyone loves a good thunderstorm. While they often rob us of the glorious sunshine that we all love, they do provide enough of a spectacle to make up for it.

And BOY did last night's thunderstorm in London deliver, with Saturday's balmy evening weather eventually breaking into a theatrical display of thunder and lightning that lasted for hours.

One photo from the storm even captured the very moment a massive bolt of lightening zipped right past the Shard, narrowly missing its signature point.

The bolt was so large that it made the 310-metre-tall Shard look tiny by comparison.

The UK dutifully took to Twitter to share photos of the incredible scenes in front of them, with some joking about the crackling sky - which was one of the heaviest and longest lighting storms in years.

One person tweeted: "Rain has finally hit and boy has it hit - can't hear my TV over it. Thunder and lightning.

"Anyone having sex right now, I think you're conceiving the Antichrist."

According to the Met Office, thunderstorms are caused by the formation of cumulonimbus clouds, and usually last no more than half an hour.

via GIPHY

"A thunderstorm is a series of sudden electrical discharges resulting from atmospheric conditions," the Met Office website explains.

"These discharges result in sudden flashes of light and trembling sound waves, commonly known as thunder and lightning.

"Thunderstorms are associated with convective clouds and are often accompanied by precipitation."

Another thing we never knew? Apparently your average lightning bolt is no wider than 2-3cm - the width of your thumb. It's also five times hotter than the surface of the sun, so even though the bolts aren't particularly wide, they're definitely mighty.

More thunderstorms are expected in the UK on Sunday, but by Monday things could improve a little to give some parts some proper bank holiday sunshine.

PA

Earlier this week it was reported that the bank holiday weekend could be the hottest since records began - thought that the UK could be basking in temperatures of well above 30C, making it potentially the hottest late May bank holiday weekend for 70 years.

Today the Met Office has also issued weather warnings, saying: "Flooding of homes and businesses could happen quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds."

Fingers crossed for sunnier times- though if Mother Nature wants put on a masterful spectacle like that again, who are we to argue?

Featured Image Credit: SWNS

Topics: Weather, bank holiday, Interesting, UK, London