Saturday 9 January

A slight change in the weather today, after an evening and night with actual rain. The snow is still on the ground, as temperatures are still only barely above freezing. There are advantages to being close to the Atlantic; the merest westerly winds and temperatures take a lift. Elsewhere in the country, another 7 inches of snow is heading in from across the North Sea. The weather charts show no let up in the current cold spell for at least 5 days.

Locally, a cargo of road salt is currently being loaded by MV Haugesund at Carrickfergus (Northern Ireland) for transportation to these islands. Part of the 4,300 tonnes will be discharged at Lochmaddy in North Uist, for use on the roads of the Uists, the rest will come to Stornoway on Monday. Road conditions continue to be poor, with the Pentland Road (the shortcut between Stornoway and Carloway) effectively off-limits to motorists due to ice. The below image was taken in June 2006 at Achmore, where another branch of the Pentland Road emerges.