Winter To Remember
From Moriston Matters Issue 27, February 1982
The weather has provided a great talking point and a variety of problems over the last few weeks, and no wonder! Pat's unofficial records at the Filling Station show that there was steady frost from December 5th - January 14th with the exception of three nights December 27th, 30th and 31st During this period the highest temperature recorded was 5 C on December 30th and there were two particularly low spells - December 16th - 19th and January 6th - 11th, when the temperature fell to -10C or lower every night and never rose above -6C during the day in the first period or -8C in the second. The worst night was January 10th with -17C (just over 1F) and the three preceding nights -16C was recorded. The partial thaw at the turn of the year had a strange effect on the Post Office Burn where the waterfall had turned into layers of ice, but when a little water began flowing again it cascaded on to the road where it froze and formed a bumpy covering of ice at least 6" thick - an unusual hazard for motorists.
The heaviest snowfall was about 4 inches on January 6th, but the ground was white from January 2nd - 13th.
The crack in the Arctic conditions came on January 14th when there was no frost although it returned on the 15th and 17th. After that a gentle but steady thaw made it possible to feel warm again, but brought the inevitable crop of burst pipes. Apart from the exceptionally low temperatures, this period is also remarkable as one of the longest continuous spells of frost within living memory.
M.E.F. (Margaret Fraser)
The lowest temperature recorded at Inchmore Fish Farm was -28C during the cold spell in January and Malcolm Grange recorded an air reading of -30C at Torgoyle where the snow fell and froze and lay about a foot deep for several days. He also took a reading of -26C at Torgoyle and travelled to Fort Augustus where the reading was -5C.