Hottest July day and thunderstorms heading for Scotland

Scots are basking in soaring temperatures amid warnings that thunderstorms could lead to power cuts and travel delays as the mercury rises, edging the UK towards what could be the hottest July day.

Thunderstorms set to hit Scotland this week.

The Met Office issued a severe yellow weather warning of thunderstorms for most of Scotland - concentrated on Edinburgh and the Highlands - England and Wales from 6pm tonight running until 9am tomorrow.

Age Scotland is urging people to check on older people who may be more at risk of health problems during the heatwave.

Forecasters are predicting temperatures of up to 37C (96.8F) before the end of the week.

Scattered patches of lightning, hail and winds are predicted to push up from south-west England, moving north .

Forecasters warned there was a “slight chance” of homes and businesses losing power, along with a “small chance” of houses being damaged.

It added there was a “small chance” driving conditions could be made worse by spray or hail, making car and bus delays possible.

Meanwhile nine flood warnings were issued by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency for central, west central Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway, Ayrshire and Arran, Caithness and Sutherland, Easter Ross and the Great Glen, Wester Ross, Argyll and Bute and Skye and Lochaber.

Met Office forecaster Marco Petagna said there was a 60 per cent chance of tomorrow’s weather surpassing the current July record of 36.7C and a 30 per cent chance of going over the all-time UK temperature record of 38.5C (101.3F) which was recorded in Faversham, Kent, in August 2003.

“On Thursday we’ll see an east and west split with showers in the western parts of England but the eastern parts will look very hot with 36C to 37C (96.8F),” Mr Petagna said.

Michelle Supple, Age Scotland’s director of charity services, said: “Something as simple as opening open a window or popping to the shops to pick up some sunscreen can make a huge difference to someone’s comfort and well-being.”

Laurynas Jasukaitis, one of the managers at Luca’s cafe and ice cream bar in Morningside, Edinburgh, said: “We’ve been watching the weather on the news.

“At the moment the queues are not too bad but they have been right out the door this week.

Mr Jasukaitis added: “I make up as many tubs as I can of strawberry, vanilla and chocolate ice-cream and hope it will all be OK and that we’ll have enough.”