After hottest May ever, June begins with a bang
SCOTLAND has enjoyed its hottest May for 100 years – but June is battering in with a thunderous blast.
A blustery weekend will ease into three days of torrential rain and muggy storms next week.
The Met Office said almost 230 hours of sunshine were recorded over the past four weeks – 30 per cent more than average.
North of the Border, the average temperature was recorded at 15.3C (59F), more than two degrees hotter than usual.
The last time we had a warmer May was in 1910.
And at just 46.1mm (1.8 inches) the country’s monthly rainfall was only 55 per cent of what Scotland would normally receive.
But the country is now expected to be battered by stormy condibeen tions, with the occasional sunny day in-between.
Tim Legg, of the Met Office’s National Climate Information Centre, said: ‘Increased sunshine during the month has helped to keep daytime temperatures high, leading to it provisionally being the warmest May since records began in 1910.’
The announcement comes as Scotland is hit by wet weather, with flash floods plaguing parts of Lanarkshire.
Footage shows roads being turned into streams in Hamilton and cars struggling to navigate the water-logged roads.
The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning throughout yesterday. Another warning has put in place today from 11am until 9pm, with heavy showers and thunder-storms expected to arrive late morning,
It states: ‘Homes and businesses could be flooded, causing damage to some buildings.
‘Fast-flowing or deep flood-water is possible, causing a danger to life.
‘Spray and flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures.
‘Where flooding and lightning strikes occur, there is a chance of delays and some cancellations to train and bus services. Some communities may be cut off by flooded roads and possible power cuts could take place, with loss of other services to some homes and businesses.’
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency also has 16 flood alerts for various parts of Scotland throughout today.
The sunnier spots of the country yesterday were Aberdeenshire and Banffshire, which recorded average highs above 18C (64F).
It was a similar story for most of the Central Belt, which between downpours enjoyed sweltering heat and sunshine. But while most of Scotland enjoyed 230 hours of sunshine last month, Orkney had only 193 hours – below the longterm average.
Figures also show that more sunshine was recorded north of the Border than elsewhere in the UK during the spring season of March to May – 468 hours, compared with the UK average of 463.
Tim Legg of the Met Office said: ‘With June 1 being the first day of meteorological summer, we are at last able to look at the statistics for a very dynamic spring with many fluctuations.
‘People’s impressions of spring may well be coloured by their personal weather memories, from coping with freezing conditions to enjoying a hot spell in April.’
The extreme weather could make things uncomfortable at a number of outdoor events.
Tonight and tomorrow night, Ed Sheeran continues his three-night run at Hampden Park, Glasgow.
And on Sunday, singer Lionel Ritchie takes his All the Hits UK Summer Tour to McDiarmid Park in Perth.
‘Very dynamic spring’