Friday 13 November 2009

Skye winter weather

Today started with rain lashing against the windows and wind howling round the chimney. But  now, just a few hours later, the sun is shining, and we have a line of washing out blowing dry a gentle Hebridean breeze.

The weather here is like that. It's so unpredictable, and can change so quickly, that the forecasts on the TV and radio can largely be ignored. It can often be raining in one part of the island and sunny in another part. Winters here are milder than people expect too. On the coast, we seldom get snow - though the hilltops can turn white for a few days any time between the end of November and early April.

The occasional storms can be exciting. The wind roars, and the rain is horizontal. It's definitely the time to snuggle down with a good book. But after the winds have died down and the rain stops, everywhere you go, small and larger waterfalls cascade down the hills and the burns rush swollen to the sea.

Then there's the sky. Day after day it's a cloud-watchers paradise. Brooding and menacing or brilliant white against brilliant blue. All constantly changing and lit by the low winter sun. Fantastic!

There's nothing dull about our weather - it's all part of the Skye Magic.

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