Storm Causes ‘Mystery Flashing Lights’ In The Sky

This evening we have had reports of bizarre flashing lights in the skies of North Wales – thought to be an electrical storm.

The lights did not appear to be plane lights, with others wondering if it could be connected to be an earlier storm that passed over the area. The flashes appeared as normal lightning, however no rumbles of thunder following.

The UK lightening map at the time of writing is recorded below, with no strikes recorded close by to Wrexham although there is ongoing bad weather to the west heading our way.

Several people have been in touch saying they have seen the ‘lights’:

@wrexham Random flashes of light almost like sheet lightning, Acrefair area. No thunder, rain or wind. Just flashes!

— Charlotte Louise (@CharlLV) October 8, 2014

@baby4815 @wrexham The weather seems fine, oddly. No thunder at all. Even went outside and listened. Just flashes its quite weird!

— Charlotte Louise (@CharlLV) October 8, 2014

@CharlLV @wrexham I just seen it on my dog walk & weirdly not a cloud in the sky over gresford!!!

— Andy Snowden (@thesnowdens) October 8, 2014

@AshEdwardsss @wrexham I'm on the border between Wrexham and Denbighshire.. So its everywhere

— Charlotte Louise (@CharlLV) October 8, 2014

@wrexham lots of flashes and thunder in Northop but no rain !! Very bizarre

— Shar Barton-Thorold (@sharon_Thorold) October 8, 2014

@wrexham Saw it every few minutes driving from Wrexham to Rhyl along the A55 in the last hour, last spotted it in Rhyl.

— Jack Colohan (@jackcolohan) October 8, 2014

@wrexham glad it wasnt me seeing things. I seen a flash on the a483 coming back from Rhostyllen just before the Rossett turn off about 7.

— sophie-ann williams (@welshwilliamsx) October 8, 2014

One amusing theory, referencing the idiotic graffiti left in Caia recently, is offered as an answer:

@wrexham Flashing lights confirmed as aliens. Just visited Hightown. Riot Squad now spraying graffiti to tell them to go home

— Mark Rodgers (@RealMarkRodgers) October 8, 2014

On Facebook people have left comments with views on what it could be and where they have seen it…

Lauraa said “Seen them by the pant in rhos about twenty mins ago scared the local teenagers! Lol”

Natalie said “Yeah drove from Chester to Wrexham at quarter to nine tonight and saw them all the way, they were in a different direction to the football ground looked more in Broughton then Llay direction but seemed to carry on down towards Wrexham.”

Jonny has said “fireworks been going off up rhos or penycea area apparently”.

Whereas Robert had a more basic answer saying it was “someone flashing a torch” !

A more serious explanation appears to be:

@wrexham It's an electrical storm caused by sudden surge of plasma from Northern Lights above the unstable Icelandic plates.

— Jamie Lea (@jlea37) October 8, 2014

@wrexham Glad to see I'm not the only one seeing flashing lights

— D M (@LatitudeOctopus) October 8, 2014

@wrexham sudden drop in temperature and pressure causes plasma to travel up to thousands of miles.

— Jamie Lea (@jlea37) October 8, 2014

@wrexham @niaabc its quite a spectacular electric storm ! Clearly visible over minera mountain looking from town !

— bocker (@bockersbridge) October 8, 2014

@wrexham definitely lightning storm, looking north west from Acton area over Pandy, saw sheet and fork lightening.

— Simon (@el_paperboy) October 8, 2014

@wrexham Had a similar storm in London the other week, looked like camera flashes all over the sky but no thunder (1)

— Alys Jones (@goodnight_clara) October 8, 2014

Jason posted the most indepth explaination saying: “Full explanation of what people are seeing and is all to do with the storms Ireland have had”

“HEAT LIGHTING is the name used for the flashes of lightning on the horizon or other clouds from distant thunderstorms that do not have accompanying sounds of thunder. This happens because the lightning occurs very far away and the sound dissipates before it reaches the observer.[1] The term is a little misleading because it has nothing to do with the heat of the lightning itself. At night, it is possible to see the flashes of lightning from very far distances, up to 100 miles, but the sound doesn’t carry that far.[2] Lightning results from the discharge of negative ions created from the friction of ice and water particles bumping into each other at the bottom of a cloud. Heat lightning can be an early warning sign that thunderstorms are approaching.”

Matthew on our Facebook page does however say “Sounds like the beginning of The Day of the Triffids to me…..be very careful.”