Scotland hit by Severe Storm

Yesterday, december 8th, a severe Atlantic storm hit Scotland. The headlines in the Scotsman this morning say “60,000 left powerless as gales wreak havoc” and I’ve heard that the windspeeds were among the highest in the last ten years. Yesterday during the storm I had received several emails and pictures from friends on Islay showing the huge waves and wild seas. It was interesting to follow their Twitter messages and to see everything they had posted. In the afternoon I received an email with a fabulous picture of what looked like a snow landscape but in fact it was Saligo Bay on Islay during the storm. yesterday evening I received more stunning images from a friend on islay who went out late afternoon to Islay’s west coast where you have great views of the storm battered coast and wild Atlantic Ocean. Earlier that day I found quite a scary picture of a few lorries blown off the road at Rest and be Thankful.

Wild Atlantic Sea on Islay’s west coast (picture James Deane)

A quote from the article in the Scotsman: “It was the day Scotland battened down the hatches against the first “red alert” weather warning in Met Office history for hurricane-force winds, which hit 165mph, bringing thunder, lighting, driving rain and power cuts for at least 60,000 people. As the skies darkened, three-quarters of the nation’s schools were forced to close, all major road bridges were shut and drivers across central Scotland were told by police to avoid travel. But the roads still witnessed a spate of toppled lorries and an empty school bus, while winds blew over a wind turbine and, incredibly, appeared to set another ablaze.” It is obvious of course that all the ferries were cancelled as well yesterday. Fortunately everything seems to be pretty much back to normal today!