Weather stories

8 February 2000 at Glasgow, Scotland.

A remarkable and clearly observed BL [Ball Lightning] Fireball event occurred in Glasgow, Scotland, on the afternoon of 8 February 2000 … At approximately 16:25, the principal witness, Mrs. Amy Caddell, was sitting in a room at the rear of her house, engaged in craftwork. Closely concentrating on what she was doing, Mrs Caddell was unaware of actual atmospheric conditions at the time. She is, however, quite adamant that both before and after the incident there was no lightning or thunder, and that it was a typical late winter afternoon, being dull and calm … the witness saw an extraordinary sight: descending slowly and obliquely, towards the window, came a globe of bright blue light. The disc of the object was about the apparent size of a full moon, or ½ degree of arc in diameter; its limb was ‘soft’, and surrounded by a halo of pink light. The GLO [Globular Light-emitting Object] approached at such low velocity that it remained visible for 10 seconds or more. When it reached a point where it was about 2.5 metres above the ground, and less than three metres from the glazing of the window, there occurred what sounded like a ‘bomb explosion’, and the thing vanished. Despite its proximity to the glass, no damage occurred and, remarkably, there was no evidence of the rupture producing a wave of displaced air.

Peter van Doorn, 'Four Distinct Modes of Ball Lightning (Part One)', The Journal of Meteorology, vol.28, no.278, April 2003, p.126