Skye Weather
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It would be fair to say that we often get all the seasons in one day, but in reality our weather is rarely as bad as expected.
When it rains it very often arrives horizontally, and when the wind blows hard it is inadvisable to put the washing out. But when there is no wind and the sky is clear the air is remarkably clear and visibility so good that the Outer Hebrides look just a few miles away rather than the 40 or so they actually are.
The temperature is surprisingly mild for this far north, but it has to be remembered that we are as far west as you can get in Scotland and therefore a long way from the cold Highlands. We are by the sea and therefore suffer little frost or snow, although the Cuillin Mountains are frequently covered from Autumn through until Spring.
The general weather pattern seems to be changing here, with our winters getting warmer and drier and the summers wetter. February has been one of the best months for the last 3 years with some sunny and warm days and very little rain.
The Skye Bridge with the Cuillins in the background
When you look at the TV weather forecast remember, we are not in the centre of Scotland but way out west, where the temperature and weather is totally different from the mainland. We take the weather forecasts with a large pinch of salt because if we actually had the amount of rain they forecast for the west coast of Scotland we would be floating out in the Atlantic.
The Aurora Borealis or 'Northern Lights' are often seen at this latitude, the best time in the year for sightings being October-November and February-March.It is best seen on a crisp, clear evening, when the nights are longer and darker. Country areas are best since if you are in urban areas, you will have to contend with the glow of the streetlights, which can diminish the spectacle. The Aurora can occur in the summer as well.
The seawater around Skye is crystal clear so its good for spotting anything ambling along just under the surface, and if it is calm then you will stand a good chance of seeing anything from a seal, otter, porpoise, dolphin or even a whale. In June 2006 we saw a pod of Minke whales and a large Basking shark off Neist Point on the western tip of Skye. That time of year is good for such sightings.
One of the more infamous of our summer visitors is the Midge. It has a somewhat deserved reputation as being the scourge of visitors to the west coast of Scotland. However, in practice it is only a real menace when the weather and wind conditions are favourable. As we are close to the Loch we always receive a fresh breeze which tends to keep them away. We also have a lot of Bog Myrtle on the croft which is known to keep them away. So, we offer no guarantees but its unlikely that you will be eaten alive when visiting us.
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