I could not take any pictures outside today, as the temperature did not cross the -16 °C mark. Especially in the shade the temperature is hard to bear for long, so I have to wait for moderate frost (-5 to -10 °C are ok). There was a rare phenomenom called diamond dust that could be observed today.

On the left image you can see the diamond dust sparkling in contre jour (most notable in the right corner), whilst the second image gives an impression of the ice crystals’ density: The reduced visibility in the background is not caused by fog, it really is the result of diamond dust. As I’m writing this the temperature is around -20°C with freezing fog outside, should the sky clear up once more I expect the temperature to plummet. An impressive day and the second coldest I witnessed in my life (number one was -18°C in January 1987 with a very unpleasant strong wind).