Fifteen storm chasers from London and the Midlands met up at Camber to film the lightning on Friday, June 13, sharing some of their photos and videos with Rye News. Almost 80,000 flashes were recorded across East Sussex, Kent and Northern France as well as in the Channel.
“It was the craziest lightning I’ve ever seen and the thunder was so loud, but we had a perfect view,” said Nathan Van-Gelder. The 22-year-old student from Ilford in East London travelled down with friends joining other groups from around the UK.
They arrived at Broomhill Sands at 8.30pm, following the storm using weather maps and apps. “There was nothing to start with then it just got bigger and bigger. By 9.30pm it was so noisy we had to cover our ears. It was absolutely the right place and right time. We knew it was going to be good. We got some great shots but most of the time we were just watching the incredible show.”
After capturing the lightning strikes at Camber, the groups followed the storm to Folkestone through Lydd and Dungeness. “There wasn’t much rain at Camber, but further along the coast it got much heavier with stronger winds, so we had to shelter in the cars.”
Storm chasing is a relatively new phenomenon in the UK, with many more people in the USA filming and recording lightning and thunder, Nathan says most people aren’t aware just how good this area is for seeing storms. “Kent and East Sussex are the best parts of the UK to see lightning. Storms are difficult to forecast accurately, so we do our own research.”
What about the danger of being out in the open during a big storm? “When it got really bad we huddled down by the sea wall but yes it can be dangerous. There aren’t any tornadoes in the UK, but the lightning and hail are a threat. As with everything, there’s a risk.”
You can follow Nathan’s work on X @nvangelder03 and @nathanvgphotography on TikTok.
Image Credits: Nathan Van Gelder .
I remember the storms at Camber from my family’s caravanning days! One time I was swimming in a covered pool with my sister and a bunch of other kids when the metal building was hit by lightning — what a noise. My little sister was terrified.