"Dave Wheeler" wrote in message
Quote

100 YEARS AGO
Whalsay correspondent. - An old Shetland proverb says "The longer we
live the more fairleys we see", and such surely is the case when we get
snow on the 12th August. On Wednesday last week the weather was close,
thick and warm, with but little or no wind. The sky became clouded, and
the wind veered round to north, bringing at first sleet, and then hail.
Indeed so heavy was the hail, that the island lay white for some time,
just as we have seen it at times in the month of March, the only
difference being that the air was very warm. Even the oldest people
living in the island say that this is altogether a new experience.

Dave

Any ideas as to the possible meteorological situation which could have
caused this? Is it possible that the term 'snow' was used loosely, ie the
ground was white and looked identical to snow cover? I've heard people
describe clouds in winter as 'snowy', meaning that they are white and solid
looking, not that they are producing snow!

[ot]
It is a pity that the dogs still continue to torment our fishermen

A reference to the dog fish aka 'spur dog' in England from their habit of
eating fish caught on long lines or tearing the bait off the hooks. A
species of small shark, marketed as 'rock salmon'!

Karl Cooper, Orkney