Friday 4 April 2014

THE HAAR WILL PERSIST


 'In meteorology, haar is a coastal fog. Haar is typically formed over the sea and is brought to land by wind advection. The term haar is used along certain lands bordering the North Sea, primarily eastern Scotland and the North East of England.'

The haar settled over Edinburgh this week. A cold, damp, mist. It's a word that draws blank looks if you mention it further south so it was a surprise to hear it on the main BBC weather forecast this morning,  'the haar will persit, another cold day.'

It can arrive in the Summer, a bright day, the city bathed in sunshine, but you look towards the Forth and see it creeping in, like the fog in a low budget horror film. Tourists look confused, locals reach into their bags for layers that are never far away, change their plans from going for ice-cream to going to the pub.

This week though there has been no sunshine, just a relentless grey sky and a permanent drizzle. It's supposed to lift. Later today? Tomorrow? Sooner would be better but until then I'm wearing my new favourite pink jumper, carrying my new favourite tote, and painting my nails a Spring shade to challenge the skies...