Scotland Regional Discussion 18th December 2012>

[Hawesy]

Happy New Year. Great day here, sunny skies, light winds, 5.9c.

[over_the_rainbow]

Went up Moncreiffe with kids and dog to clear the cobwebs (*cough* hangover) away. Beautiful day with the sun (yes I had and needed sunglasses!) and still frosty and icy at the top so pretty cold out! Nicely buffeted and will soon be moving onto cooking the New Year's roast and opening a bottle of wine.

[November13]

Nae hangover but had a skinfull last night and Wii Lets Dance 4 was a laugh . Wisely stopped drinking at 1.30am.Off to inlaws for dinner today ...the joys! Ochills have a nice wee dusting and looking west the Trossachs are pretty white.

[Polar Gael]

A very Happy New Year to everyone and all the best for 2013. A bright Ne'er Day here and currently 5.3ºC. Some pics from last night's Comrie Flambeaux attached - the weather was on good behaviour for it which was grand.

[Northernlights]

Community bonfire last night went well last night with ground frost and starry skies. Nice day now with bright periods and occasionl rain showers but a fair covering of snow down to a 1000 feet on the hills round the Firth. Couple of photos showing wintry showers over the the hills to the north across the Firth

A couple of photos too of a cup I got for for a New Years present as I sat diown for lunch about an hour ago .Familly taking the michael!!!!!! Bit unfocused like me after a glass or two of red wine this lunchtime.

Edited January 1, 2013 by Northernlights

[NorthernRab]

Well bliadhna mhath your dhuibh uile / a happy new year to all!

Hope 2013 is a prosperous, happy and (most importantly) snowy year for all!

[Zenarcher]

Good celebrations here last night had a 20 minute firework display think that's the longest one we've ever had last years was barely 5 minutes. We had gusts between 30 to 40mph at the time but the fireworks went unaffected! Not sure if any where else does this but for a few years now the islanders are keen on letting off flares as well so the whole island turns red for a few minutes.

Anyway today is sunny spells with showers and gusty winds.

[mistyqueen]

Happy new year to all! A very quiet night here on Skye, saw the bells in at home then watched fireworks from somewhere else in the village from the cosiness of my own sitting room! Embra eat yer heart oot! Bed about 1.30 am, only to be woken at 3.30 by the holidaymakers in the cottage next door setting off some more fireworks. Cats not amused.! Went for a walk at lunchtime after a hearty breakfast of Glenmorangie porridge and fried eggs on toast, returned to find our first foot happliy sitting in my living room with the OH and a glass o' wine. Well, what else could a girl do but open her bottle of Jura Superstition and join them! Big Sis currently prepping veg, steak pie ready to go in oven, made cranachan this morning, so bring it on!!! Hope you all have a great time, slainte mhath!

[Big Innes Madori]

A guid New Year tae yin an a'

Big Innes

[A Winter's Tale]

A fantastic start to 2013 today. It's nice to see some nice wintry sunshine and blue skies and I've just come back from a walk around Kilmardinny Loch and it was another great sunset. I'm really looking forward to the weather that awaits us this year. It's a shame that this might be last day of this type of weather for a while but things should become more promising as we progress through January. There was a slushy cover over the car during the early hours from the showers but I'm not entirely convinced that it was snow - certainly sleet.

[Cheggers]

Evening all, hope you are all recovered, or "hair of the dog" as i now am.

Had a cracking view of the fireworks at Stirling Castle last night from the comfort of oor family room, and what a display.

I think it was a nice winters day, only saw the later half of it, but snapped the Ochils on a trip to the kitchen for a coffee earlier.

Edited January 1, 2013 by Cheggers

[Hairy Celt]

Kicking in here innit?

Lifted from t'interwebby...

How many Scottish students does it take to change a lightbulb? (I did not write this)

Glasgow University - 76

One to change the light bulb, fifty to protest the light bulb's right not to change and twenty-five to hold a counter protest.

Strathclyde - 5

One to design a nuclear powered bulb that never needs changing, one to figure out how to power the rest of Scotland using that nuked light bulb, two to install it and one to write the computer programme that controls the switch.

Caledonian - 7

One to change the light bulb and six to throw a party because he didn't screw it in upside down this time.

Edinburgh - 1

He holds the bulb and the world revolves around him.

St Andrews - 3

One to call the butler and two to arrange a tailor in Rome to design and make new suits for the special occasion. If a light bulb in a major building blows then increase to 27 to allow for a brass band playing the last post and five Sun reporters. The following day's Sun will contain something along the lines of "Will's Pals in Blown Bulb Horror".

Heriot Watt - 3

One to change it and two to figure out how to get high off the old one.

Napier - Only one, but he gets 10 course credits for it.

Dundee - 10

One to buy and fit the bulb and nine to petition for the electrification of Dundee.

Aberdeen - 2

One to change the light bulb and one to crack under the pressure.

Stirling - 0

Stirling looks better in the dark.

RSAMD - 5

One to change the bulb and four to do an interpretive dance about it.

[blitzen]

Phew! that's it... last one out the door! Good time was had by all I think. Now enjoying a coffee and a quick catch up on here. No comments on the models I see, are things that bad? Guess I will have to have a quick look for myself.

Had a visit from a family member today who is home from working over in Holland. He brought 4 bottles of his own beer with him and said he would just drink that. I poured him a glass and thought oh dear that's off. Looked at the other 3 bottles and saw that they were the same and proceeded to pour them down the sink. Eh....Wheat beer? Well I didn't know it was SUPPOSED to be cloudy!! Boy was I popular!

Edited January 2, 2013 by Blitzen

[Hairy Celt]

Phew! that's it... last one out the door! Good time was had by all I think. Now enjoying a coffee and a quick catch up on here. No comments on the models I see, are things that bad? Guess I will have to have a quick look for myself.

Yes, although strangely the MT has been a little oasis of sanity recently. A few trolls have been 'silenced' perhaps.

Which January was it in the last few years when we had a stubborn high sat over us for ages? It just got steadily colder - we made our own cold I think - and murkier...

[Cheggers]

Stark contrast to yesterday afternoon. Back to pishy wet and grey.

Edited January 2, 2013 by Cheggers

[NUT]

Grey, Misty, Drizziy and Mild. Borefest,

[Northernlights]

Miserable dull morning here after very heavy rain overnight. Can"t wait for high pressure to take over and let the water drain away. Currently 6c

[GraemeB]

we made our own cold I think

Love it...

[LomondSnowstorm]

Yes, although strangely the MT has been a little oasis of sanity recently. A few trolls have been 'silenced' perhaps.

Which January was it in the last few years when we had a stubborn high sat over us for ages? It just got steadily colder - we made our own cold I think - and murkier...

Late December/ early January of either 2006 or 2009?

More likely 2006 I think, high pressure then came back for the end of the month too:

[Highland Snow]

Pleasantly bright now after a dreich start. Temp 7.9C (+2.1/hour).

[Scottish-Irish Skier]

Winter over for just a few days then?

Looks increasingly all downhill from there, but that's good is it not?

[blitzen]

Really encouraging model discussion on the MOD. Enjoyed reading it for a change. The part about there being a buzz around the METO was particularly interesting! Damp, dreich and drizzly too here this morning but I can put up with this if there is going to be something more exciting down the line!

[Hairy Celt]

Late December/ early January of either 2006 or 2009?

More likely 2006 I think, high pressure then came back for the end of the month too:

That was it, Jan 2006. Weird layered skies of yellow brown & grey as the muck built up. Home grown at its best

[Ross B]

Tried to go to work this morning but the first train into Edinburgh wasn't until 11:30 Working from home then and can report "surprising" weather conditions of....... rain and low cloud.

Bought a new house just before crimbo which sits at about 200m asl - move in for the end of the winter It's not that much higher than here but considering I've lived at 30m in Ayrshire for most of my life is a huge difference for snow chances

Edited January 2, 2013 by Ross B

[BleakMidwinter]

Happy New Year, everyone! I fled the country on the 31st and spent Hogmanay with friends in Yorkshire - lovely!

Now back and raring for some cold and preferably snaw - but will settle for just some winter temperatures, please!