Sunny weather will continue this week in the likes of Edinburgh, Glasgow and the Central Belt but it will come to a careering halt in just seven days time, with snow predicted for the Highlands, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire in May.
Scotland is set to have its warmest weekend so far.(Image: Ken Jack/Getty Images)
Scotland is set for a substantial period of hot temperatures and sunny weather as summer looks to be on the horizon. The mercury hit 21c on Friday as Scots flocked to beer gardens, beaches and parks to mark the good weather and lack of wind to ruin the good vibes.
But while the weekend will continue to see temperatures of up to 17c, the cloud will ruin any hopes of sunbathing and getting a tan. But Wednesday and Thursday will be when the sun comes back out again, reaching scorching highs – for April – of 19C. Sadly this won’t last.
According to Apple Weather, the forecast for Saturday May 2 and Sunday, May 3, will be dull with highs of just 12C, a far cry from this weekend. Scotland outshone European hotspots like Athens, which reached 19C, and Ibiza, which measured 20C, on Friday, with Glasgow and Edinburgh being particularly warm.
Tyndrum in Stirlingshire recorded the country’s highest temperature of 21.1C, although it failed to beat this year’s record of 22.5C, seen at Kinloss in Moray on April 7. Braemar in Aberdeenshire hit 20.5C and Achnagart in Ross and Cromarty was not far behind at 20.2C.
READ MORE: Official Scottish Daily Express guide to the best beer gardens in ScotlandREAD MORE: Why the weather means you’ll experience more electric shocks this week
Scots flocked to beauty spots like Troon beach, Kelvingrove Park in Glasgow and the Meadows in Edinburgh to make the most of the good weather. Loch Lomond was also packed with tourists, with some taking to the water on canoes and paddle boards to cool down.
The warm weather is forecast to continue over the weekend, thanks to a large area of pressure lingering over Scandinavia. Temperatures could climb as high as 20c in the Highlands, making Fort William as hot as Istanbul in Turkey. However, the hot and dry weather has also created an “extreme” risk of wildfires over the weekend.
Snow is predicted in the north and north-east of Scotland(Image: WXCharts)
And Scots have also been warned that a rare blast of snow could hit parts of Scotland next month, with new maps predicting snowfall in the north and north-east of the country. Snow showers may happen for up to 30 hours between May 5 and May 6, spoiling the hot weather.
The maps show bands of precipitation pushing in from the north, with colder air wrapping around a low-pressure system centred over Scandinavia. This setup allows wintry showers to spread southwards, with Scotland expected to see the heaviest and most persistent snowfall. Areas around Aberdeen and the Highlands appear most at risk of disruptive conditions.
Hot weather is likely to hit the UK this week, the Met Office has predicted(Image: Getty)
But meteorologists caution that forecasting snow this far ahead carries a degree of uncertainty. The Met Office’s long-term forecast doesn’t mention snow as its prediction for April 28 to May 7 reads: “High pressure is likely to remain centred close to or over the UK through the remainder of April and into early May. This means a continuation of the predominantly dry conditions, likely with a mixture of some cloudier spells and sunnier days.
“For the most part, rain-bearing weather systems should be kept at bay, though the far west and northwest may see a little rain at times, although late in the period perhaps an increasing chance of these coming closer into the UK. Winds will be mostly light, but may be fresher around the coasts at times. For most, temperatures will continue above normal, though it will feel cooler along windward coasts in particular.”
Never miss the latest top headlines from the Scottish Daily Express. Sign up to our daily newsletter here.