... not sure if it's worth a listen, but on Radio 4 (BBC) tomorrow 
(Tuesday/1st), there is the following:-

" 1 July 2008
John Tusa looks back at the events making the news 40 years ago. Red 
rain falls over much of Britain. "

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/1968/

[ only 4 mins so no depth! ]

On the 1st July, 1968, 'coloured rain' was reported across much of 
England and Wales, from mid-level Ac cas, and associated with some 
'interesting' weather! Hailstones were recorded with a diameter up to 
7 cm at Cardiff/Rhoose and according to TORRO, this was part of a 
series of only 10 or so 'widespread large hail' events in their 
catalogue. Counties affected stretched from Cornwall, Somerset and 
Devon to South and West Yorkshire. Other areas reported 'severe 
thunderstorms', large hail, torrential rain and 'day darkness' and 
deaths due to lightning strikes. The 2nd of July, 1968 also 
experienced some torrential rainfall with flooding in SW England.

Martin.

-- 
Martin Rowley
West Moors, East Dorset (UK): 17m (56ft) amsl
Lat: 50.82N   Long: 01.88W
NGR: SU 082 023

Martin Rowley wrote:

> ... not sure if it's worth a listen, but on Radio 4 (BBC) tomorrow
> (Tuesday/1st), there is the following:-
> 
> " 1 July 2008
> John Tusa looks back at the events making the news 40 years ago. Red
> rain falls over much of Britain. "
> 
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/1968/
> 
> [ only 4 mins so no depth! ]
> 
> On the 1st July, 1968, 'coloured rain' was reported across much of
> England and Wales, from mid-level Ac cas, and associated with some
> 'interesting' weather! Hailstones were recorded with a diameter up to
> 7 cm at Cardiff/Rhoose and according to TORRO, this was part of a
> series of only 10 or so 'widespread large hail' events in their
> catalogue. Counties affected stretched from Cornwall, Somerset and
> Devon to South and West Yorkshire. Other areas reported 'severe
> thunderstorms', large hail, torrential rain and 'day darkness' and
> deaths due to lightning strikes. The 2nd of July, 1968 also
> experienced some torrential rainfall with flooding in SW England.
> 
> Martin.
> 

The previous day was remarkable for the sky being green due to the large
amounts of sand in the air. It's the only time I've seen it that colour.
I'd heard my father talk of a violent thunderstorm he'd witnessed and
saying that the sky was green beforehand, but that may have been a
different phenomena.

-- 
Graham Davis
Bracknell

> Martin Rowley wrote:
>
>> ... not sure if it's worth a listen, but on Radio 4 (BBC) tomorrow
>> (Tuesday/1st), there is the following:-
>>
>> " 1 July 2008
>> John Tusa looks back at the events making the news 40 years ago. 
>> Red
>> rain falls over much of Britain. "

... good to hear Bert Foord's voice again. (Worked with him just 
before he retired).

Where have those 40 years gone?

Martin.


-- 
Martin Rowley
West Moors, East Dorset (UK): 17m (56ft) amsl
Lat: 50.82N   Long: 01.88W
NGR: SU 082 023

"Martin Rowley"  wrote in message 
news:Bpwak.96927$zs1.16243@newsfe28.ams2...
>> Martin Rowley wrote:
>>
>>> ... not sure if it's worth a listen, but on Radio 4 (BBC) tomorrow
>>> (Tuesday/1st), there is the following:-
>>>
>>> " 1 July 2008
>>> John Tusa looks back at the events making the news 40 years ago. Red
>>> rain falls over much of Britain. "
>
> ... good to hear Bert Foord's voice again. (Worked with him just before he 
> retired).
>
> Where have those 40 years gone?
>
> Martin.
>

I was at school in Burnage, Manchester that day. Torrential rain and thunder 
all day. Sky as black as night at times and green/yellow at times too. 
School was flooded and we were sent home early but the roads were awash and 
the bus never came so I walked home. I wrote my weather log up in big 
capital letters as, as a 16 year old, I was so excited by it all! OK nothing 
changes, I know :-)

Will
--