Scotland has had its hottest day of the year so far after 22.7C was recorded in Aboyne.
That breaks the previous high of 20.9C in Tyndrum on April 8.
It’s started to feel like the sunshine might never end – especially in the west, where some areas have basked in wall-to-wall blue skies for over a week.
While the east has seen plenty of sunshine too, the easterly airflow off the North Sea has kept things cooler.
But that changed on Thursday, with the coasts of Aberdeenshire, Angus, Fife, and East Lothian, seeing temperatures soar.
With a shift to a westerly airflow, the warmer air has been nudged eastwards, and temperatures soared into the 20s.
Hot spots
- Aboyne – 22.7C
- Fyvie Castle – 21C
- Leuchars – 20.9C
- Balmoral – 20.7C
- Drumnadrochit – 20.7C
Rain is on the way
But while the eastern half of the country might celebrate their brief taste of warmth, it comes just as we begin transitioning to more changeable conditions this weekend and into next week, with bands of rain and stronger winds returning.
That said, Friday still looks pleasant in the east before cloudier skies and patchy rain start spreading into the northwest.
Next week brings more unsettled weather, but there is some hope that things might settle down again towards the end of the month — we can always hope.
On the plus side, the incoming dampness should offer some much-needed relief to areas that have seen wildfires recently, though the risk could return once things dry out again later in the month.
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