Scotland weather: Here is how hot it is expected to get in Scotland today as amber alert remains in force

Scotland is braced for its hottest ever day as an amber ‘extreme heat’ warning remains in force for much of the country.

Temperatures soared above 30C on Monday as the country swelters in the heatwave.

On Monday afternoon, the mercury rose to 31.3C in Aboyne in Aberdeenshire, and Leuchars in Fife, the Met Office said. Meanwhile the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh recorded 30.8C, and the mercury peaked at 29.9C in Aviemore.

Temperatures have not broken Scotland’s 9 August 2003 record of 32.9C at Greyrcrook in the Scottish Borders, but forecasters said that may happen on Tuesday.

Portobello Beach in Edinburgh was packed

How hot could it get in Scotland?

South of the border, the Met Office has issued the UK’s first red extreme heat warning for a large part of England as temperatures are set to hit 42C.

In Scotland, the Met Office has predicted the mercury will reach 36C in Jedburgh and 35C Hawick in the Scottish Borders by 2pm, smashing the record.

Travel warning

An Amber warning is in force

Scots have been advised to consider if their journey is necessary on Tuesday in the extreme conditions.

Justice Secretary and lead minister for resilience Keith Brown chaired a Scottish Government Resilience Committee meeting (SGoRR) to monitor the impacts of the Met Office Amber warning, while Transport Scotland’s resilience room is closely monitoring impacts across the transport network

Mr Brown said: “Following the weather warnings, our resilience arrangements have been activated. We are receiving regular updates from partners including Transport Scotland, the Met Office, the NHS and emergency services and we’ll continue to closely monitor developments.

“I would urge people to think about whether they need to travel and if they do, make sure they’re properly equipped, and plan their journey in advance. Rail passengers and drivers should make sure they have water, sunscreen, hats and sunglasses and have a fully charged phone in case of any difficulties. Any drivers who face breakdowns should seek a safe, shady place, and stay hydrated.

Speed restrictions have been put in place on key rail routes in Scotland due to the high temperatures.

Network Rail confirmed train speeds would be restricted between 1pm and 8pm on Monday, which will have an impact on most routes, with a 20mph speed restriction on the stretch of rail between Hyndland and Finnieston in Glasgow, which is thought to be the busiest route in Scotland.

Restrictions will be in place between Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley; Dumfries and Carlisle as well as Glasgow Queen Street and Aberdeen; Inverness; Oban and Fort William and Edinburgh Waverley and North Berwick, with delays of around 10 minutes expected.

In Glasgow, ScotRail warned rail passengers they may face delays as overhead lines were tripping and resetting due to the heat between Glasgow Queen Street Low Level and Hyndland.

How long will the hot weather last in Scotland?

However while hot weather is expected for much of Tuesday, meteorologist Jim Dale said that no repeats are expected over the next few weeks.

He said: “This event is quite unusual. Last time the records were broken it was in a single day and it was just a spike here and there.

“Because we live, particularly in Scotland, in a temperate zone, what we’re not talking about is continuous, extreme heat that’s going to go on and on and on.

“These are always going to be spikes. I can’t see anything at the moment on the charts that suggest, certainly for Scotland, and even down into the London area, that suggest any repeats of this in the next couple of weeks.”

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told people to “follow sensible advice” as temperatures soar.

The First Minister tweeted: “The next couple of days are set to be exceptionally hot. Please take care and follow sensible advice – keep out of direct sun; stay well hydrated; and look out for others who may be suffering from the heat.”