Off icial: We’re in line for a heatwave

SCOTLAND is this week expected to bask in an early autumn blast of sunshine.

The Met Office has confirmed that the country is in line for a heatwave, which is officially declared once the temperature hits 25C (77F) or more for three days in a row.

The hot weather is expected to kick in on Tuesday for southern and western parts, lasting until Thursday at least.

Rachel Ayers of the Met Office said: ‘If you like warm and sunny weather, it’s going to be very pleasant indeed.

‘It is not unusual to see such high temperatures in September. But after the summer most of us have had, it will feel very welcome coming at the start of autumn.’

She said that Hurricane Franklin had helped ‘amplify’ the jet stream, which consigned the UK to miserable weather in July and August.

But this ‘jolt’ has also had the effect of allowing high pressure to build over the UK, inviting in warm air from France and Spain.

Ms Ayers added: ‘Scotland won’t be just as warm as the south-east of England, where 30C (86F) is possible. Aberdeen could be the first place to record 26C (79F) on Monday but then the wind changes direction and it’s the west and south of Scotland which will see the highest figures from Tuesday.’

Latest Met Office statistics show just how complex a summer we had. June was its hottest in records going back to 1884.

But July produced 50 per cent more rainfall than normal and August was a soggy affair as well.

Met Office senior scientist Mike Kendon said the summer ‘will go down as a warm and wet one for the UK, with plenty of rainfall’.