The north of Scotland’s Indian summer showed no signs of disappearing yesterday as the region enjoyed another day of glorious sunshine.
Many people left their jackets and gloves at home and instead swapped them for sunglasses and short-sleeves as temperatures reached the high teens.
Braemar experienced the warmest of the weather, with the mercury shooting up to 17C during the afternoon – just three degrees off the 20C recorded in Edinburgh in 1946, the Scottish record for this time of year.
Elsewhere, Drumnadrochit, on the west shore of Loch Ness, enjoyed peaks of 16C, as did Tain.
And there is good news for those hoping for another day of ice cream and walking on the sand at Aberdeen Beach today, as forecasters have predicted another unseasonably warm affair.
Last night, the Met Office said the warm temperatures would continue for at least another day.
Meteorologist Graeme Whipps said the north’s mountainous landscape has had a major part to play in the hot weather.
He said: “Effectively what we have got is a ridge of high pressure extending from Eastern Europe, that’s pulling in mild air from the south.
“While the central belt has been misty and overcast, that hasn’t gone over the mountains, we benefit from the shelter of the Grampians and the Cairngorms.
“Because it’s an area of high pressure we have seen quite a lot of sunshine.”
The mercury is expected to reach 15C or 16C in the north-east and the Highlands.
However, there could be more cloudy weather towards the east which will shield Aberdeen from the sunshine.
Tomorrow, some areas could experience light showers during the day but that is expected to clear up by the afternoon.
However, come the end of the week, Mr Whipps said the familiar winter weather will take hold once again.
Mr Whipps added: “The rest of the week will see a return to weather which is more common for this time of year.
“There will be more unsettled conditions but there will still be milder temperatures.”