12 January

Good morning from the Western Isles, where the weather has finally come out of its weekend funk. The sun is out (through some grey clouds) and the rain has stopped - just. The gales that have buffeted us for two days have ceased.

Today 4 years ago, the islanders of South Uist were faced with the fact that five of their number had perished in the hurricane of the preceding night. Two children, their parents and a grandfather drowned when the cars they were travelling in were swamped and carried away by waves on the South Ford causeway, linking South Uist to Benbecula to the north. Their death is remembered today. The abiding image of that tragedy is reproduced below, courtesy BBC News.