Ferries for today cancelled yesterday in advance, all schools closed, the roads accross the barriers closed etc etc.THURSDAY 8th: This morning WSW’ly winds increasing severe gale F9 over Fair Isle, Orkney and Caithness. Across much of Shetland winds lighter at F6-7 and falling cyclonic variable for a time late morning A cloudy morning with scattered showers. Around midday winds are expected to veer NNW’ly and increase generally gale F8 to severe gale F9 and soon afterwards increase further to severe gale F9 to storm F10. Damaging gusts of 75-85 mph are likely in squally showers which will quickly turn wintry with hail, sleet and the risk of thunder. Over higher ground there may well be slight accumulations of wet snow. During the evening winds will steadily ease to a gusty NNW’ly F7 to gale F8. Some slushy deposits may well occur at lower levels during the evening.
Sea state – Very rough then extremely rough with a 5 metre W’ly swell becoming 6 to 7 metre N’ly.
Currently averaging over 40knts wind per 10 min averge - best gust so far 72knts
had to go to the shop early this morning to deliver fresh eggs - decided to brave it in scabby the trav and oh it was quite exciting ! catch a gust and it would send you a foot off course in a fraction of a second !
Chap at the shop was telling me that earlier a lady had gone there and didnt think before parking and opening car door - wind caught it and bent it back double on the hinges
Anyway fingers crossed for as lttle damage as possible, spent yesterday battening down the hatches so to speak and preparing the animal houses, there will always be a few things missed which will never be seen again.
But on the bright side plenty of supplies in, toasty fire in the lounge and its not peaking gusts of 115mph like it did 8 years ago !
will keep my eyes open for a Moggy called scabby floating past 
fingers crossed to all in the way it doesnt arrive at high water. Think thats going to be the biggest news of the year come the morning 