View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Monday, 28 May 2012

Monday 28 May

That was a startling contrast. From 23C yesterday right down to 13C today. The day started overcast, but by lunchtime we had the sun back. However, that did little to help the mercury, as there was this penetrating northeasterly wind blowing at force 6. And we are not likely to get any warmer anytime soon, as there will be a nationwide downturn in the warmth. Nonetheless, here in the Hebrides we are not really used to these large jumps in temperature - even if they take us back where we should be at this time in the year.

The woman who had contracted rabies after being bitten by a rabid dog in southern Asia has sadly died at a hospital in London. Only a few cases of imported rabies occur in the UK each year, but the survival rate of the disease is poor. Once symptoms become evident, the outlook is grim. Stringent controls on the import of mammals into Great Britain have eradicated rabies from the indigenous wildlife.