Parts of the Highlands reached 27C yesterday – the same as Barbados and Mumbai – as the Met Office issued a yellow warning for thunder and lightning overnight.
Altnaharra in Sutherland was the hottest place in the north, closely followed by highs of 26.8C just outside of Inverness, 26.4C near Plockton in Wester Ross and 26.1C in Aviemore.
The hottest part of Scotland was Prestwick, with the mercury rising to a scorching 28C.
The Western Isles was slightly cooler – low 20s – due to the sea air, with Orkney and Shetland cooler still with peaks of 17C.
Met Office spokesman Greg Dewhurst said that this regional low was more akin to the average maximum temperature for the region at this time of year.
He added:”The last warm spell was back on May 9, when Plockton reached 27.7C. The temperatures we’ve had this time are similar, and the heat has been more widespread this time round. Coastal areas were generally much cooler in May.
“We are looking at a risk of thunderstorms developing overnight with showers and risk of hail going into tomorrow. We can expect some sunny spells going into the afternoon. It will be fresher tomorrow but towards Inverness we still could get 22-24C”.
Mr Dewhurst added that temperatures across Europe were also notably high at the moment, with a southerly flow of warm air affecting the UK.
However in the next 24 hours a westerly flow from the Atlantic will return, bringing with it cooler temperatures.
Yesterday’s Scotland-wide high of 28C pipped the 27.7C recorded in Plockton in May, making it the hottest day of the year – and hottest since the 29.4C at Kinloss, Moray, on July 1, 2015.
One forecaster suggested the possibility of “blood rain” floods – where rain mixes with dust in the Saharan air – in Scotland today. MeteoGroup forecaster Mario Cuellar said: “People may see light dust on car windscreens after the thundery showers”.
The Met Office also warned of flooding risk to homes and businesses in the south-east of Scotland today. Forecaster Netweather said that there was also the “risk of a tornado” in this area.
