Denise: The Met Office issued Red Alert for today. We only seem to get a Red if the weather is going to be unpleasant in the civilized parts of the country. Out here in the islands severe weather gets an amber at most, and often gets no mention at all.  Gusts up to 95mph expected in the Central Belt (ie of Scotland) today, and up to 70mph elsewhere.  Worst expected around 1800hrs this evening, but here in Uist it was very rough all night, with lightning over the Atlantic, and now (1100hrs) we must surely be up to Storm force or even Severe Storm, with gusts well over 60mph.  J’s just been outside to screw down cold frame lids (he says he’s also driven timber stakes into the ground and screwed them to the frames as well; but it’s getting very dangerous outside. Either the storm’s ahead of schedule, or this is going to be a lot worse than forecast. … Just heard on the radio, worst now expected to be over 100mph (in Central Belt).