The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Sunshine to be followed by snow
As Courier country continues to bask in glorious sunshine forecasters warned snow could return this weekend.
Tayside and Fife were among the hottest regions in the UK yesterday.
Any hopes that the extraordinary conditions will continue for a bit longer have been tempered, with snow forecast over high ground in the north of the country on Saturday and Sunday.
AS COURIER country continues to bask in glorious sunshine forecasters warned snow could return this weekend.
Tayside and Fife were among the hottest regions in the UK yesterday with temperatures soaring over 20C.
Any hopes that the extraordinary conditions will continue for a bit longer have been tempered somewhat with snow forecast over high ground in the north of the country on Saturday and Sunday as low pressure encroaches in from the Atlantic.
In the meantime the welcome heatwave has allowed for some unseasonal treats to arrive early.
Berry farmers in Dundee and Angus said the Mediterranean spell could mean fruit is available from their plots by late next month ahead of their usual picking season in May.
Angus Porter, who owns Carmichael Fruit Growers in Invergowrie, said the growing season was already ahead of schedule.
“We are at least 10 days ahead of where we are supposed to be at the moment,” he said.
“I think we could have fruit by next month if the weather stays like this.
“We could pick something in April but it will probably only be a small quantity.
“This weather is great for us as these conditions are dry as well which means we don’t get as much disease.”
William Houstoun, general manager of Angus Growers in Arbroath, said: “If this weather keeps up, we will have some strawberries in April, ear- lier than our usual season of picking.
“This weather is good for selling strawberries too because warm weather and barbecues means that people want to eat strawberries.”
Scotland recorded its highest March temperature since records began on Tuesday when the mercury reached a blistering 23.6C in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire.
People should make the most of the record-breaking heat as the temperature is forecast to return to normal at the weekend reaching only around 13C.
Tom Morgan, a Met Office forecaster, continued: “Dundee reached 21C yesterday afternoon.
“There was a little bit of a breeze so it may have been a little cooler than areas in Aberdeenshire but it was still warm.
“It is expected be quite a bit cooler today and might be fairly cloudy.
“At the weekend it will be cooler than it has been.
“There will still be a lot of dry weather so it will still be fine for getting out and about, but the temperatures will be back to normal for this time of year.”
The recent warm snap intayside and Fife has rivalled and in some cases beat temperatures found in more tradtitional hotspots including Barcelona, Nice, Majorca and Faro.
It is caused by a flow of warm air which has travelled from north Africa.
Ice cream shops have been making the most of the sizzling days and families have flocked to public parks and beaches found across Courier territory.