Scotland/Alba Regional Weather Discussion 23/04/17 onwards

[Hairy Celt]

7 minutes ago, ciel said:

Well, I wasn''t expecting an electrical storm this evening.  Lots of flashes and bangs with torrential rain just now.

Can't match the electrical stuff but I got two drenchings this evening... long time since that happened!

[shuggee]

54 minutes ago, Norrance said:

Guaranteed 25C, maybe 30C for me later in the week,

Flying to Tenerife on Wednesday.

I'm traumatised just thinking about it.

[Sunshineandshowers84]

After the rain this evening the cloud cleared and its became completely clear. Just too late for any sunset. Looks like a Friday to be best day here. Seen a forecast for Saturday it says cloudy and apple weather says Rain. A cold front will be out West come weekend so if weak will bring cloud and not amount to much. See how the predictions go later in week.

[Northernlights]

1 hour ago, Northernlights said:

Very wet evening with heavy bursts of rain.Sowed about a quarter of neeps this afternoon before rain.Should mean they are through the ground within a week. Currently 10c

Too add we marked an oyster catchers nest  with two  eggs three weeks ago.However today there were no eggs and the pair of oyster catchers were moving about seemingly without young but they may have been hiding in banks at the edge of the field. 20 years ago we had a pair  each in at least nine fields every spring.My main suspicion that patrolling badgers at night have taken the eggs.For the first time ever in my life we have in the last two days  a  badger scrape/latrine just outside the window of the room I am  typing this in. Badger numbers are out of control and ground nesting birds are suffering and I am  certain farmers should not get all the blame for declining bird numbers.

[Hairy Celt]

14 hours ago, Northernlights said:

Too add we marked an oyster catchers nest  with two  eggs three weeks ago.However today there were no eggs and the pair of oyster catchers were moving about seemingly without young but they may have been hiding in banks at the edge of the field. 20 years ago we had a pair  each in at least nine fields every spring.My main suspicion that patrolling badgers at night have taken the eggs.For the first time ever in my life we have in the last two days  a  badger scrape/latrine just outside the window of the room I am  typing this in. Badger numbers are out of control and ground nesting birds are suffering and I am  certain farmers should not get all the blame for declining bird numbers.

Not foxes or crows? They are the main perpetrators that I see... Does sound like you have rather a lot of badgerbadgers though. 

[Ravelin]

Just been out of the office for a bit over lunch and it's not half bad out there. Around 50% cloud cover (fluffy type), a gentle breeze and 17C. I was reluctant to return for an afternoon of stewing in an overly hot office once the sun moves around.

Edit: I have noticed an increased number of road-kill badgers around this area in the last year or so. Actually, I'd say they are more common road-kill than deer or even rabbits locally at the moment. I nearly hit one last year, the only actual time I can remember ever seeing a live one.

I'm not generally in favour of culling but, like with deer, if you have removed a species' natural predators then you've got to at least consider it.

Edited May 23, 2017 by Ravelin

[NUT]

Clouding in now after a nice start. Going to get a little rain but nothing compared to what yesterday was like

[Northernlights]

2 hours ago, Hairy Celt said:

Not foxes or crows? They are the main perpetrators that I see... Does sound like you have rather a lot of badgerbadgers though. 

Coud be foxes neighbouring small estate has a keeper who shoots 50 foxes a year to protect one of their tenant farmers large sheep  flock.I have  often see foxes walking along dykes in daylight.on this farm.

There are badger scrapes and attempted sett digging in every field on our farm. The local syndicate got half an acre of ground in a steep sandy field from our neighbours two years ago to grow cover crop for the pheasants and within a year there were 3 entrances to a new  badger sett. As this is visible from the side road  so they have been marked by some badger supporters.

Young Mr Northernlights had his car tyres attacked by a young badger after slowing down  and stopping for a family of  them in the dark.so have never believed  they are benevolent and with their powerful jaws could inflict severe injury.

 

The proposed new dual carriage way between Inverness and Hardmuir(22 miles) will go through 272 badger setts. Official reply to a query on the effect on the population.  Negligable!!!! We have five main setts bordering our farm (185 acres) with up to 10 entrances/sett and more digging going on to create more.Foresters have to hand fell all the trees round these setts no machines allowed.

Edited May 23, 2017 by Northernlights

[Hairy Celt]

.

4 hours ago, Northernlights said:

Coud be foxes neighbouring small estate has a keeper who shoots 50 foxes a year to protect one of their tenant farmers large sheep  flock.I have  often see foxes walking along dykes in daylight.on this farm.

There are badger scrapes and attempted sett digging in every field on our farm. The local syndicate got half an acre of ground in a steep sandy field from our neighbours two years ago to grow cover crop for the pheasants and within a year there were 3 entrances to a new  badger sett. As this is visible from the side road  so they have been marked by some badger supporters.

Young Mr Northernlights had his car tyres attacked by a young badger after slowing down  and stopping for a family of  them in the dark.so have never believed  they are benevolent and with their powerful jaws could inflict severe injury.

 

The proposed new dual carriage way between Inverness and Hardmuir(22 miles) will go through 272 badger setts. Official reply to a query on the effect on the population.  Negligable!!!! We have five main setts bordering our farm (185 acres) with up to 10 entrances/sett and more digging going on to create more.Foresters have to hand fell all the trees round these setts no machines allowed.

Perhaps - but only perhaps - not persecuting foxes so much might limit resources available to badgers...?  Why are badgers so successful in Moray?  They will eat pretty much anything, but there must be an abundant supply of something here that is really nutritious. 

A badger is one of many mammals I wouldn't ever approach.  Once they get hold of you - if they consider you a threat - you will be in serious trouble.  Not as bad as bears or wolverines (for examples) though, fortunately.  We wiped out the dangerous ones in Britain a long time ago. 

I discovered recently that there are no badgers in Corsica, despite it being perfect habitat (woodland, rough diggable ground with plenty of small caves, lots of food).  I guess they missed the boat.

[Polarlow]

A wee video I took, of the short lived storm or squall, that blasted through Dundee last night......Thunder and Lightning included !!!

Storm.mp4

[Northernlights]

5 hours ago, Northernlights said:

Coud be foxes neighbouring small estate has a keeper who shoots 50 foxes a year to protect one of their tenant farmers large sheep  flock.I have  often see foxes walking along dykes in daylight.on this farm.

There are badger scrapes and attempted sett digging in every field on our farm. The local syndicate got half an acre of ground in a steep sandy field from our neighbours two years ago to grow cover crop for the pheasants and within a year there were 3 entrances to a new  badger sett. As this is visible from the side road  so they have been marked by some badger supporters.

Young Mr Northernlights had his car tyres attacked by a young badger after slowing down  and stopping for a family of  them in the dark.so have never believed  they are benevolent and with their powerful jaws could inflict severe injury.

 

The proposed new dual carriage way between Inverness and Hardmuir(22 miles) will go through 272 badger setts. Official reply to a query on the effect on the population.  Negligable!!!! We have five main setts bordering our farm (185 acres) with up to 10 entrances/sett and more digging going on to create more.Foresters have to hand fell all the trees round these setts no machines allowed.

 Just to add we had one small sett 50 years ago in the wood next to the farm boundary which my father had to point out to me or I would never have seen it Now they are visible to all the people that walk past.

Edited May 23, 2017 by Northernlights

[Sunshineandshowers84]

Looks to be cloudy Wednesday under Tropical Maritime conditions then winds will change S/SE for Thursday with Tropical Continental air pushing up. Looks like 2 nice days but Saturday could be wet. Forecast for Ireland is Thundery Rain Friday evening this pushing eastwards..

[Ravelin]

It was over 16C in Kemnay this morning at 7:30am and that was with no sun due to a sheet of high cloud. Cloud now trying to break up but I'd still say at least 70% cover. A few showers around yesterday evening but mainly light.

A decent few days to come by the looks of it but the weekend still in the balance, especially for the likes of this area as the wind switches around to have more of an easterly component again. Going to be annoyed if the weekend comes and we're sat under murky low cloud whilst the rest of Scotland basks in warm sunshine.

Edited May 24, 2017 by Ravelin

[Hawesy]

Managed 23c in NE Fife this afternoon at work with sunny spells. Cooler in Dundee at 20c. Looks like more of the same tomorrow before we start to pull in more of an easterly component. 

[Ravelin]

Wall to wall blue sky and another 16C start to the day at breakfast time. Now in office, preparations ongoing....

All windows open ... Check

Back & Side doors open ... Check

All fans running ... Check

Shirt sleeves rolled up ... Check

Water bottles full .. Check

That's about as much as we can do, just got to sweat it out as it heats up. Already 20C at 10am in Dyce.

Aboyne forecast to hit 28C today (18.1C at 9am).

[Scottish-Irish Skier]

1 hour ago, Ravelin said:

Wall to wall blue sky and another 16C start to the day at breakfast time. Now in office, preparations ongoing....

All windows open ... Check

Back & Side doors open ... Check

All fans running ... Check

Shirt sleeves rolled up ... Check

Water bottles full .. Check

That's about as much as we can do, just got to sweat it out as it heats up. Already 20C at 10am in Dyce.

Aboyne forecast to hit 28C today (18.1C at 9am).

For here, I'll add...

Lighting some of the 'Emergency (disposable) BBQs' we keep here in the office in about 1/2 an hour.

Office kitchen fridge already stuff with burgers..snags...salad...onions etc.

Ye cannae let these opportunities slip by...

[NUT]

Very very warm indeed and feeling pretty humid it's a belter out there few small clouds but nothing that will spoil the day

[Summer Sun]

27.5C in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire

Scorcher

[Northernlights]

Just finished sowing neeps in 24c in old tractor no aircon.So a bit sweaty.  

Fabulous day clear blue skies and almost no wind.Neeps should be through in in a few days with this heat as soil still very damp after Monday evenings downpour.

Cows all have smiles on their faces as they and their calves ly flat out in the sun stuffed with high nutritional  value May grass.

Spring barley racing on

All garden veg growing fast too.

 

 

[Ravelin]

1 hour ago, Summer Sun said:

27.5C in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire

Scorcher

Aye, breeze seems to have kept a cap of around 20-21C on the temp in Dyce but inland a bit its shot up. Not been too sweaty in the office with the breeze coming through the windows but I'm envious of @scottish skier's office lunchtime BBQ.

@Northernlights, I think the runner beans I planted in pots in the greenhouse will need to be planted out soon before they take over. The ones I planted directly at the same time as a bit of an experiment have just started coming through. It'll be interesting to compare both sets as the summer progresses.

[NUT]

Just seen the BBC Weather for Saturday potental flash flooding guess this breakdown going to be pretty noisy

[Hairy Celt]

25C in Keith in the middle of the day, now 20C at home.

No-one's mentioned cold beer yet.  Did you all go teetotal? Got mine here - Leffe blonde getting nicely chilled just now...

Edited May 25, 2017 by Hairy Celt

[NUT]

4 minutes ago, Hairy Celt said:

25C in Keith in the middle of the day, now 20C at home.

No-one's mentioned cold beer yet.  Did you all go teetotal? Got mine here - Leffe blonde getting nicely chilled just now...

Was going to try show a pic but got all my cold ones stored in my mini-fridge

[Northernlights]

1 hour ago, Ravelin said:

Aye, breeze seems to have kept a cap of around 20-21C on the temp in Dyce but inland a bit its shot up. Not been too sweaty in the office with the breeze coming through the windows but I'm envious of @scottish skier's office lunchtime BBQ.

@Northernlights, I think the runner beans I planted in pots in the greenhouse will need to be planted out soon before they take over. The ones I planted directly at the same time as a bit of an experiment have just started coming through. It'll be interesting to compare both sets as the summer progresses.

Yes runner beans I have in cold frame are  growing in front of me this evening and think  I will plant them out at the weekend. If I need a winter fix I just have to go to edge of turnip field where a group of Ash trees have only just started to burst their buds and still look as though they are in winter mode. Seems their timing for coming into leaf has always been about the 1st of June for as long as I can remember  but do not lose them  and stay green till November. Must be day length responsive.

However the swifts are into full mid summer acrobatics high above the farm house.Really feels like mid summer.

Edited May 25, 2017 by Northernlights

[Scottish-Irish Skier]

1 hour ago, Hairy Celt said:

25C in Keith in the middle of the day, now 20C at home.

No-one's mentioned cold beer yet.  Did you all go teetotal? Got mine here - Leffe blonde getting nicely chilled just now...

I've developed a taste for lager tops with bitter lemon.

Some might consider that rather unmanly, but when you've been married coming on 10 years, you don't care about such things.

Gulp. Ahh.