It was even hotter than they thought!
Forecasters said Scotland hit 94.6F... but mercury really soared to 95.2F
SCOTLAND’S hottest day on record was even hotter than originally thought as temperatures soared above 35C (95F).
On Tuesday, the peak was reported as being 34.8C (94.6F) in Charterhall, Berwickshire, beating a record set in 2003 by 1.9C.
But the latest Met Office figures show it was even hotter at Floors Castle in Kelso, Roxburghshire, where a temperature of 35.1C (95.2F) was recorded.
The Met Office said checks were last night being carried out on the figure but a spokesman said he was ‘fairly confident’ the new record high would be confirmed.
The record for the all-time highest daily minimum temperature for Scotland was also broken this week.
On Monday night, the temperature in Nunraw Abbey, East Lothian, did not drop below 21.3C (70.3F) , beating the previous daily minimum record of 20.9C, set at Achnagart, Ross-shire, in 2019.
This meant Scots experienced only their sixth ‘tropical’ night – where temperatures do not drop below 20C – ever recorded.
Yesterday, less than seven miles from where the record of 35.1C was recorded, firefighters were called to a blaze that broke out in a field at Hadden Farm, near Kelso.
However, the blistering weather looks set to cool down dramatically over the coming days, with the Met Office saying temperatures across the country were around 15C lower yesterday than on Tuesday.
A spokesman said: ‘The next few days are going to be a lot cooler than the temperatures felt on Monday and Tuesday.
‘Today is set to be dry across most of Scotland, with the Northeast possibly seeing some light showers. There will be broken cloud coverage throughout the day but bright, sunny spells across the board. There is a slightly higher chance of showers going into Friday but most places will stay dry and bright.
‘Going into the weekend, it looks like Scots can expect a few showers on Saturday but many places should have another dry day.
‘In the west of the country, it will turn breezy with outbreaks of rain and the Western Isles and Highlands will see heavy rain.
‘The weather will continue to turn more unsettled in the second half of the weekend.’
Despite the significant cooling, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
warned there is still a risk of wildfires. A spokesman said: ‘Areas of countryside remain vulnerable, so we have put together a number of ways we can help reduce the risk of fire.’
The suggestions include keeping a garden hose or a bucket of water near any barbecues in case of emergency, not leaving them unattended and ensuring they are properly extinguished. Smokers are also urged to ensure that they dispose of cigarettes correctly.
During the heatwave, parts of England saw temperatures exceed 40C (104F) and wildfires broke out across the country. This led to the fire service in London seeing its busiest day since the Second World War, receiving 2,000 more calls than it would on a usual day. Sixteen firefighters were injured tackling blazes in London, two of whom were admitted to hospital.
Met Office chief scientist Professor Stephen Belcher said: ‘The extreme temperatures that we have been experiencing in the UK are unprecedented in recorded history. In a climate unaffected by human influence, climate modelling shows that it is virtually
impossible for temperatures in the UK to reach 40C. Climate change, driven predominantly by accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, has warmed the average climate by more than 1C.’
Professor Belcher added that the UK could see temperatures exceeding 40C every three years by the end of the century if enough is not done to reduce carbon emissions.