Feel the (re)heat, summer looks set to warm up again
‘Fragmented downpours’
FOR the past week, Scots beneath the country’s typically cloudy summer skies have looked on enviously as England basked in balmy sunshine.
But there is welcome news for those of us itching to get out the deckchairs – the heatwave is set to make a comeback thanks to warm air from Africa.
Forecasters predict the mercury will soar to 25C (77F) in Scotland this week, more than 8C (15F) hotter than the July average.
It follows a sunless and rainy weekend during which downpours cooled things down across the West.
South of the Border, however, the socalled ‘Mediterranean melt’ saw tempermake atures soar to nearly 30C (86F) on Saturday and Sunday.
Met Office forecaster Ian Robinson said: ‘The same warm air that has been heating up England is coming around from the Atlantic, with most of Scotland, apart from the far North, seeing temperatures in their mid-20s, but the best of the weather will be in the South-East.
‘Thursday morning will be sunny in the South, but those further north should watch out for outbreaks of rain which will come in behind it.’
Scots have been warned not to break out the shades just yet, however, because the week will start on a more familiar note. ‘Fragmented’ downpours are set to their way across the country today, hitting early risers in eastern areas hardest.
Temperatures in the North will initially fall to a low of 19C (66F) before the arrival of warmer weather later this week. The mercury is expected to hit a peak of 25C (77F) on Thursday in Fife and the Borders.
The weekend saw rain in much of Scotland but some areas bucked the trend. Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, saw a high of 27.8C (82F), making it the warmest place in Scotland yesterday.
Mr Robinson added: ‘The fresh start on Monday follows a muggy night of no lower than 16C (60F).
‘And though it will start cooler, with Tuesday being the coolest day, it looks like Scotland is going to enjoy some pretty decent weather come Wednesday which, despite the odd shower, will see the temperature start to rise again.’
There is likely to be a return to more typical summer temperatures at the weekend, with the mercury expected to fall to 19C (66F) in the North and 21C (70F) in southern areas. The cooler weather is set to be accompanied by showers. It comes a month after the UK basked in record highs, with Glasgow seeing its hottest day since records began – 31.9C (89F) – on June 28.
This week’s weather, however, pales in comparison to the temperatures likely to be experienced south of the Border.
The Met Office is predicting a peak of 35C (95F) in London, potentially England’s hottest day since the mercury hit 34.5C (94.1F) at Heathrow Airport on June 21 last year.
Met Office forecaster Alex Burkill said yesterday that the country’s hottest temperatures are likely to be seen in the East and SouthEast of England on Wednesday or Thursday.