South Uist was officially the wettest place in the UK yesterday (Monday 17 October), backing up what islanders were already telling each other with hard statistical fact.

The Met Office said that 48.2mm of rain fell at the weather station on the South Uist range, as a slow-moving weather system sat stubbornly over the islands.

The deluge led to flooded roads from North Uist to Barra, with police advising a total road closure on the A865 south of Sniseabhal and the road at Ford Terrace in Benbecula flooded over.

One local resident said “In 30 years I have never seen it so bad so quickly’ while others described the conditions as ‘hammering down’ and ‘extremely dangerous.’

The picture was shared by Karen Linday on Western Isles Weather Facebook Page.  Below is the Met Office map of heavy rainfall.