Summer? That was a very long time ago

Forecasters have dashed hopes of a small, late sliver of summer and told Scots to batten down for more wet and windy weather.

Only the hardiest campers are likely to enjoy a staycation before the end of August due to the autumnal conditions in the forecast.

Bands of unsettled weather are predicted to sweep the country, bringing squally showers and chilly temperatures. England and Wales will not fare much better, meaning a getaway south of the border won’t provide an alternative for sunseekers who have missed out on a foreign holiday. Matthew Box of the Met Office said: “We will see spells of unsettled weather. “It depends on your tastes but for the majority of people it’s not going to be camping weather. “April and May turned out to be the best choice for us weather-wise. That was our summer.” Scotland was battered by rain and high winds last week as low pressure systems followed in the wake of Storm Ellen.

Tyndrum in Stirlingshire saw 16mm of rain fall in 12 hours during a downpour on Friday. Glasgow had 11mm as southern Scotland and the central belt were hit with a deluge of rain.

Today is expected to provide the best weather of the week, staying mainly dry and bright with peak temperatures of 17C. But unsettled weather will dominate for the rest of the month and showers and northerly winds will bring an autumnal feel. There is not set to be any respite heading into September, as the longerterm forecast shows no prolonged periods of sunshine on the horizon. Mr Box added: “There will be mobile fronts coming in from the Atlantic meaning more traditional autumn weather.”