The Cold Continues

The moon which rose over Ben Hiant yesterday evening was a day off full.  At the time this photo was taken, the temperature, even in mild Ormsaigbeg, was already hovering just above zero, and a hard ground frost was forming.  This didn't prevent a large turnout at last night's Community Council meeting, the main attraction being a visit from Community Broadband Scotland to answer questions about the lack of superfast provision in the Glenborrodale area and along the north and west coats - a personal report on the meeting is on the WANI - here.

The clear skies would have been ideal for aurora watching - clip is taken from the Willowbank Observatory's website on Mull, link here - which shows two events yesterday.  It's been a busy spell for auroras recently, including one a red event, but AuroraWatch has ceased sending out text warnings, so spotting them is more difficult.  Last night's promise was spoilt by the moon, and by clouds which obscured the sky....

....and brought a powdering of snow for the third night in succession.  Picture shows Craigard Croft - follow Tom Bryson's blog here, which includes an interesting entry about a survey of crofting life.

Falling on frozen roads, the snow produced some hazardous conditions for our morning walk down to the shop, but conditions were far worse on the Sanna and Portuairk roads.  One of the points of discussion at the Community Council was the damage that the winter weather is causing to road surfaces, and a threat, from Highland Council, to cease gritting on all roads along the Ardnamurchan peninsula.

The weather seems to go in cycles.  After the storms of early January, we're now in an almost constant northerly airstream which is bringing down snow showers interspersed with clear intervals.  The sun during the day takes temperatures up to 7C or more, but they've plunged at night.

Our walk to the shop takes us past one of the many Ormsaigbeg pig farms, where one beast's opinion of the state of the weather and the prying lens of local photographers....

....was made very clear.