THE Met Office say sizzling Scotland will officially enter heatwave territory this weekend – outshining Canary Island hotspots like Tenerife and Gran Canaria.
After weeks of jealously eyeing Med-style conditions in England and Wales, Scotland will finally bask in blue skies and searing heat from Friday to Monday.
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Scots enjoy the weather in a sun-soaked beer garden on Glasgow’s Buchanan StreetCredit: Alamy
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Two people take shelter from the rain under an umbrella in Gran CanariaCredit: Getty
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Weather forecasters are predicting a scorcher for TRNSMT music festivalCredit: Roddy Scott
Temperatures are forecast to hit 27C in Glasgow on Saturday, the midway point for the TRNSMT music festival at Glasgow Green.
Tenerife, by comparison, faces a cloudy weekend with highs of just 22C and Sunday looks soggy in neighbouring Gran Canaria.
There is also the possibility that Scotland could record its hottest day of the year, currently held by the 29.1C seen at Grangemouth Refinery in Falkirk on June 20.
With families and friends desperate to cool off, the authorities are expected to issue graphic warnings about the dangers of entering water following a number of tragedies the last time it was hot.
Fifteen-year-old Alexander McNab died while paddleboarding at Loch Ore Meadows in Fife on June 28.
Two days later, Alan Colquhoun, the founder of the Lodge on the Loch holiday complex on Loch Lomond died after it’s thought the 83-year-old fell overboard during a family trip on the water.
Looking ahead, the Met Office say temperatures are about to build day-on-day thanks to high pressure moving up from the Azores in the South Atlantic.
On Wednesday, we’ll start to see temperatures rise further, creeping up towards heatwave criteria as the week goes on.
Deputy Chief Meteorologist Dan Holley explained: “High pressure from the Atlantic will gradually exert its influence over the UK this week.
“We’ll see temperatures build day-on-day, with the potential for hot conditions to become quite widespread by the end of the week and into the weekend.
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“On Wednesday, temperatures could reach up to 28C in parts of England, climbing to 30C on Thursday and 32C by Friday.
“By this stage, heatwave criteria are likely to be met in parts of England and Wales, and in parts of Scotland over the weekend.
“High temperatures are likely to persist into the weekend, especially away from coasts with onshore winds, reaching the low 30s in portions of England and Wales, and accompanied by rising humidity and warmer nights.
“This heatwave is likely to last longer than previous ones so far this summer, and affect a wider area, with the focus for some of the highest temperatures displaced across more central and western areas at times. In addition, pollen and UV levels will also be very high in some areas.”
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Scotland is on ‘heatwave’ alert as experts predict a 30C scorcher to arrive in daysCredit: Alamy
There are signs that less hot, or fresher, conditions may arrive from the west into the start of next week, but exactly how quickly this transfers eastwards is uncertain.
From Friday, thousands are expected to descend on Glasgow for the three-day TRNSMT celebration, starring names like 50 Cent, Snow Patrol and Biffy Clyro.
The BBC Weather Service is predicting day-long rays and highs of 27C for Glasgow Green on Saturday.
Met Office forecaster Jonathan Vautrey says the settled conditions are a result of the ‘Azores High’ where warm air arrives here from the South Atlantic.
He said:”It’s turning drier in the south west because we have high pressure beginning to build its way in from the Azores.
“While there is the possibility of fronts slipping into Scotland and Northern Ireland over the next few days, this high looks as if it will build in more widely across the UK, midweek onwards.
“That will lead to fewer showers, more sunny spells and also climbing temperatures.”
Read more on the Scottish Sun
Elsewhere, all Scots households are being warned to keep windows shut amid incoming hayfever fears.
Pollen levels are expected to spike later in the week – something hay fever sufferers will want to prepare for.