Dry ground, low humidity air, intense upper level high pressure, powerful late June sun and longest hours of daylight all combine to maximize daytime heating potential. The stage is set for potentially Scotland’s warmest June day in 23 years. Last June saw the UK’s warmest June day since 1976.
As the high builds over the UK with a central pressure of 1030mb just off the Firth of Forth, so the land temperature shall rise by 2 to 4C each afternoon with less overnight cooling. Each new sunrise starts off warmer than the last and that warmer starting point means potentially warmer afternoons.
Today, like yesterday was simply stunning from both the ground and from space.
Wednesday or Thursday appears to have the best shot at 30C over parts of Scotland with the high pressure peaking and winds at their lightest along with the air mass at it’s warmest.
Scotland eyes warmest day in 5 years and warmest June day in 23 years
Like in the last couple of years, Scotland has yet another shot at reaching it’s first 30C (86F) since July 2013 when it hit 31.1C at Strathallan, Perthshire. This was a terrific July and best since 2006. This July is of course being compared to with 2006 and 2013.
Last May saw Lossiemouth, Moray hit 29.4C but in May 2012, the thermometer hit 30.9C at Inverailort, Highland which was Scotland’s warmest May day on record.
If it reaches 30C this week it would be the first in 5 years and first in June since 1995 when Glentrees hit 30.3C. As warm as that was, the June record for Scotland is 32.2C recorded at Ochtertyre, Perthshire all the way back in 1893.
Met office forecast…
As far as I can remember, since 2000, Scotland has only observed a 30C or warmer in the summer of 2003 (32.9C at Greycrook), 2005 (30C at Glenlivet & Peebles), 2006 (31C at Prestwick), 2008 and 2013 (31.1C at Strathallan). That’s just 5 out of 18 summers, making 30C relatively uncommon. Probably every other summer will reach 28 or 29C. That appears to be our ‘typical’ threshold for heat in Scotland.
Interestingly, while 30C is achieved say every 4-6 years, it’s reached 30C in May, June, July, August and September.
May | 30.9 | 25 May 2012 | Inverailort (Highland) |
June* | 32.2 | 18 June 1893 | Ochtertyre (Perth and Kinross) |
July | 32.8 | 2 July 1908 | Dumfries (Dumfries & Galloway) |
20 July 1901 | Dumfries (Dumfries & Galloway) |
||
August | 32.9 | 9 August 2003 | Greycrook (Scottish Borders) |
September | 32.2 | 1 September 1906 | Gordon Castle (Moray) |
FEATURED IMAGE CREDIT: Sophie Cameron @toomanysophies
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