View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Thursday 7 January 2010

Thursday 7 January

Good morning from a freezing Stornoway, temperature -2C. There was a nice sunrise at 9 o'clock, but snow showers are building. A seal just popped up in the basin across the road - no he's dived now. Temperatures in the south of England have gone down to -18C / 0F overnight. As high pressure builds over Scotland, we can expect overnight lows to go below -20C in the next few nights.

Supplies of grit to salt the roads in the Western Isles are expected to run out on Sunday. On Sunday, a boat with further supplies of salt is expected here. As Sunday work is frowned upon, I'm wondering if this ship will be unloaded then, or will they wait for Monday. Without gritting, the road conditions would be even more treacherous than they already are.