Scotland (Alba) Regional Discussion 21st May 2013 onwards

[blitzen]

Achieved 18.8c today which felt really pleasant. It was far from settled but the sun was warm when out. It was one of those strange days that if you looked out the back window the sky was bright blue but when you looked out the front is was almost black! No rain tho' but the bird bath was full this morning for the first time in weeks so there must have been a good bit overnight.

Interesting article on how the weather is affecting the UK wheat crop:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22866982

Edited June 12, 2013 by Blitzen

[Guest]

Achieved 18.8c today which felt really pleasant. It was far from settled but the sun was warm when out. It was one of those strange days that if you looked out the back window the sky was bright blue but when you looked out the front is was almost black! No rain tho' but the bird bath was full this morning for the first time in weeks so there must have been a good bit overnight.

Interesting article on how the weather is affecting the UK wheat crop:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22866982

 

 

Aye, it was a weird day. The rain came on a couple of times here but never came to much, then the sun came out and it was quite nice. I was in Berwick today with MrsCatch and Mother-in-law-Catch. Mrs Catch was away for an interview, so mother-in-law-Catch and I went for a walk along the Tweed. I didn't know the railway bridge at Berwick was so old, it's an impressive structure considering it is 163 years old.

[blitzen]

Beautiful morning here. Coffee outside sitting at the garden table. Feels warmer than 12.6c.

Edited June 13, 2013 by Blitzen

[tempestwatch]

Beautiful morning here. Coffee outside sitting at the garden table. Feels warmer than 12.6c.

aircam_pic.php.jpg

It certainly is Blitzen, didnt want to go to work this morning. Just driving out of Lochgelly on the A92 past the loch and the sky was beautiful and summery! Enjoy a few more coffee's at your garden table!

[Guest]

It it rains later it's all my fault as I am going to hang some washing out, sorry people!

 

The outlook doesn't look too settled, but we'll maybe sneak some decent days in between? If the sun is out at this time of year it doesn't really matter what the air temperature is

[Hairy Celt]

Beautiful morning here. Coffee outside sitting at the garden table. Feels warmer than 12.6c.

aircam_pic.php.jpg

 

Got 15C here but breezy, overcast, drizzly so dreich is the word. Typical mid-summer really.

[Guest]

Got 15C here but breezy, overcast, drizzly so dreich is the word. Typical mid-summer really.

 

We are getting lucky so far down here, 17.7ºC, mostly cloudy but with some sunny spells. If it wasn't for the stiff breeze it would be a cracking wee day, although the stiff breeze has dried the washing very quickly. I have put the second load out and it should be dry within the hour  

[Northernlights]

Breezy day but dry and drought taking hold,  bound to make it rain now. Much cooler this evening at 10c  even garden grass growth has slowed up. 

[tempestwatch]

By the looks of the ECM yesterday the Key words are Easy Jet rather than Jet stream if you want fine settled weather. Having said that, weekend up here doesnt look to bad, if you get some decent sun between the showers it could become quite warm especially if you have a wee suntrap and a coffee table outside like Blitzen!

[tempestwatch]

After a wonderfull morning in Alloa, cloud is quickly building and is starting to look quite threatening. The BBC forecast said for light rain with the odd heavier bursts, the way the cloud is building those hevier bursts could get quite potent!

[Cheggers]

Nice and sunny here at present, but clouds rolling in. Off for a round at Cardrona later, hopefully it will stay dry down there.

[NUT]

Mix of sun and clouds but avoided the rain...............so far (our luck is due to run out at 1 point or another) little breeze but a bit calmer than yesterday

[Hairy Celt]

Nice and warm and mostly sunny here, jolly pleasant really, and if the garden bench wasn't now kindling, I'd be sat on it!

[NUT]

Peeing down with rain all of a sudden

[Ross B]

Yep, same here in the west of Edinburger !

[Hairy Celt]

Peeing down with rain all of a sudden

Showers then? © NR

[Hawesy]

Another pleasant day here in NE Fife with sunny spells and only a very brief shower at 5pm. 17.2c at present.

 

Anyone else experiencing a dearth of House Martins this year? We normally have plenty nesting (old farmhouse) but not a single one this year...the extended family must have been wiped out at some point during migration. Swallows and swifts are around as normal.

[Northernlights]

Another pleasant day here in NE Fife with sunny spells and only a very brief shower at 5pm. 17.2c at present.

 

Anyone else experiencing a dearth of House Martins this year? We normally have plenty nesting (old farmhouse) but not a single one this year...the extended family must have been wiped out at some point during migration. Swallows and swifts are around as normal.

 Very short of all three here this year only 8 swifts returned to the farmhouse eaves this year when there are normally between 20 and 30. Only about 30% of the nests in the older part of the steading are occupied this year. Poor breeding season last year due to lack of insect food for chicks and very cold spring have taken their toll. Already better this year in the last few weeks for insect life although a lot of birds are still visiting the feeders including a woodpecker.

 

 A bit dull this afternoon and a few showers are forming round about this evening quite humid at 15 c this evening

[Hairy Celt]

Another pleasant day here in NE Fife with sunny spells and only a very brief shower at 5pm. 17.2c at present.

 

Anyone else experiencing a dearth of House Martins this year? We normally have plenty nesting (old farmhouse) but not a single one this year...the extended family must have been wiped out at some point during migration. Swallows and swifts are around as normal.

I don't think we've had Swifts here for a long time but Swallow numbers have been going up the last few years; House Martins are here but I tend to overlook them as they're a bit unassuming and quiet compared to Swallows.  I grew up with a House Martin nest right over my bedroom window and most summers one or two would fly into my room, do a quick circuit or two then be off out, leaving a few feathers and some small mites behind. A few days ago a Swallow followed me into the kitchen and couldn't remember where the door was   (well they are just feathered dinosaurs) so needed a little encouragement.

 

The best ongoing birdy tale this year is a Cuckoo egg in a Pied Wagtail nest in my 'other place'. I was thinking of setting up a sort of fly-thru housefly fast food service for them...

 

We had a shower earlier...

[blitzen]

Morning. 11.2c with the sky clearing after some much needed overnight rain and the sun now peeping through. A bit breezy tho'. Can't complain about the weather this week really. Most days have been warm and sunny enough compared to the last few weeks of dull and chilly. The MOD are in wrist slitting mode I see as the southerners look like missing out on any 25+s that they usually get around this time of year.

We have just said goodbye to the usual clutch(es) of great tits (helped along by a rather annoying cat!) but no house martins to be seen in the usual places here either.

Even the MET are looking for answers it seems:

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/06/14/uk-weather_n_3439346.html?1371187456&ncid=webmail1

Edited June 15, 2013 by Blitzen

[Hawesy]

Thanks for the responses - interesting stuff.

 

Decent day again here so far: sunny spells and a WSW breeze. The change in wind direction this week has made all the difference. High temps Sunday to Tuesday were in the 13-15c range, but the last three days, losing the wind off the sea, we've cracked 19c (Leuchars figures). High of 19.6c yesterday, there's also been good sunny spells.

[Northernlights]

Sandy hills beginning to show signs of drought in the crops and grass burning near trees in spite of an overnight shower which has just evaporated away. I know we have had a very dry spell when I have been able to knock out most of the weeds in the garden with the dutch hoe without having to lift them and put them in the compost heap which I did all last summer. Car  has stayed clean for three weeks now and the tractors are having to have all air filters blown out  every week out with the compressor every week with the amount of dust there is on the farm tracks.

 

Looks as though I will have to resort to washing the house windows to make it rain as the showers are mostly light and missing us. Even writing this post may bring on the rain for the  newly sown neeps.  Our local forecast on here only has light showers for today but it has been dry up till now. Currently overcast and 18.3c with a moderate east wind with an RH of 50% so still a  dry regime. We are having a real old fashioned June on the south side of the Moray Firth  with the hills really emphasising their rain shadow properties.

 

Thought I had better stick these  comments in here and not the model thread 

Edited June 15, 2013 by Northernlights

[NUT]

Rubbish basically. Still raining

[Scottish-Irish Skier]

Pishin rain then sun then pishin hail wi rain. Then it stops for a while, just long enough to tempt you out for while, then pishes doon again.

 

Just posted this in politics, but thought I'd pop it in too here to raise the spirits.

 

Something on a lighter note.

 

http://www.thepoke.co.uk/2013/06/14/25-reasons-why-we-love-scotland/

 

25 Reasons Why We Love Scotland

 

Some classics.

 

 

 

The visit Scotland parody is quality. I'd not seen this one before.

 

[over_the_rainbow]

Afternoon all!

 

A bit of a grey miserable one today here, but a look on the MO suggests tomorrow may be sunny.