The last rose of summer

[xmetman]

It seems to me that our brief summer up here in the Highlands (which started very late anyway) has given up the ghost in the last two weeks. We lit the fire on Sunday just to cheer the old place up, but this morning I noticed that the room thermostats were down to 17°C again, the stones of our Victorian cottage can only hold their heat for so long. I know its a rather pessimistic view, but with the circulation persistently returning to the same old theme, I can see Autumn being early this year. I didn't realise just how much closer we are to Loch Glascarnoch than Kinloss as the crow flies (14/36 miles). Our climate is obviously some kind of mix between the two, relocating certainly brings home to you just how different climate can be on a relatively small island like ours. Perhaps I ought to start a web site that compares the climate differences of any two places for people planning to relocate?

The Met Office does make mention of tentative 'signs' that high pressure will return especially across southern areas, but I don't have much confidence in that, and even if high pressures does make a comeback it'll probably be a cloudy affair with a cold/warm front embedded in it anyway.  I don't know why, but when the Met Office speak of 'signs', it almost suggests that they are casting rune stones rather than peering at the output from their Cray XC40 supercomputer. Anyway back to reality and cheer myself up with a visit to Tesco!