↗Downbursts: how they form and the damage they cause
Violent thunderstorm winds do not need a tornado. How downbursts form, the damage they leave behind and what research tells us about western Europe.
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Stormchasing
My stormchasing trips on the Lower Rhine, in the Netherlands and in southern France, plus snowy drives through the Reichswald.
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Stories from Stormchasing
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↗Watching the polar vortex: what the models show for early November
The models suggest a weakened polar vortex in early November. I explain what is behind it and why that does not yet amount to a snow forecast for Germany.
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↗Stormchasing near Culemborg
A striking shelf cloud announces the storm. Near Culemborg, I experience strong gusts, heavy rain and small hail – before following the front towards the northeast.
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↗How does a tornado form? A simple explanation
How does a tornado form? A clear explanation of updrafts, wind shear and rotation near the ground, with diagrams and research through September 2026.
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↗Photographing lightning: a beginner’s guide for camera users
Photographing lightning with a camera: my starting settings at night, manual focus and an ND-filter experiment in daylight. A beginner’s guide.
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↗Snow instead of routine: a winter night in the Reichswald
7. JANUAR 2026 · KRANENBURG & REICHSWALD Am 7. Januar 2026 schneit es am Niederrhein kräftig. Am Vormittag verschwinden die Häuser hinter den Flocken. Abends fahren wir mit dem Jeep durch den verschneiten Reichswald. Diesen Beitrag anhören Dauer: 3 Minuten 48 Sekunden Du kannst die Audiodatei auch herunterladen und in deinem Audioplayer öffnen. Synthetische Stimme: […]
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↗Thunderstorms in the Lower Rhine region: Clouds, rain and lightning
On 19 and 21 May 2024, I take the Jeep out in the Lower Rhine region. Dark clouds gather over the fields, rain hits the windscreen, then lightning flashes.
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↗Storms between Venray and Venlo: lightning and heavy rain in the Jeep
On 2 May 2024 I am on the road between Venray and Venlo: lightning over the A73, heavy rain near Horst and barely any visibility through the wet windscreen.
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↗A stormy evening near Valras-Plage
29 June 2023, southern France. Open countryside, dark clouds and lightning on the horizon.
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↗A stormy night: brief flashes of light
Lightning in the dark and rain on the windscreen. My stormchasing trip on the night of 12–13 June 2020.
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↗Clouds over Ven-Zelderheide
An afternoon in Ven-Zelderheide, near the Dutch-German border. Green fields, dark clouds and a wide-open view.
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