Scotland's weather: Country '˜hotter than Barcelona'

Kianna McGloughlan, Lewis Bell and Poppy Savage enjoy the sea at Belhaven beach, Dunbar. Picture: Jon Savage

Scotland basks in hottest day of the year but forecasters warn of storms to come

The Met Office recorded temperatures in the high 20s throughout the country, from the lowlands in Dumfriesshire to Wester Ross in the Highlands.

However, forecasters warned Scotland to brace itself for thunder, lighting strikes on power transmitters, hail, gusty winds, flash floods, river flooding, property flooding, surface water and slippery roads as heavy rain sweeps in from the early hours of Wednesday.

Alex Priestley, a Met Office forecaster based in Aberdeen, said the highest temperature was 28.3C in Prestwick, Ayrshire.

He said: “Threave in Dumfries and Galloway was 27.8C and Kinlochewe in Wester Ross was 27C. In the cities, Glasgow was 26.8C, Aberdeen was 25C and Edinburgh was 24C.

“However, a lot of people - particularly in the north - are going to get woken up by thunder and lightning overnight on Wednesday and then it’s going to be a tricky commute in the morning.

“Overnight, we’re going to see outbreaks of thundery rain initially spreading into the west and north west of Scotland and on to the northern half of the country.

Wanted: Bar staff for Scotland's most remote pub

“We will see some very heavy, thundery downpours, with lightning, hail and also some gusty winds.

“There is a risk of flash flooding, river flooding, surface water on the roads, lightning impacts on power transmission.

“There will then be a second bout of heavy, thundery rain that will spread up from the south on Wednesday morning.

“That will get into southern Scotland from around dawn and then it will spread northwards through much of the central and eastern parts of the country.”

The hottest place in the UK on Tuesday was Oxfordshire at 33.5C, and train services in and out of one of London’s busiest stations were delayed after heat-related speed restrictions were brought in.

The city’s ambulance service said it had had 300 more calls than usual and the RSPCA said it had also seen a spike in calls from members of the public concerned about dogs left in hot cars, conservatories, sheds and caravans.

The Met Office declared a Level 3 heatwave alert and Public Health England urged people to take care.

Paramedics in London were busier than usual. London Ambulance Service’s medical director Dr Fenella Wrigley said: “We see an increase in calls because people forget to stay hydrated and the heat can exacerbate heart and breathing conditions.”

The RSPCA also saw a spike in calls from members of the public concerned about dogs left in hot cars, conservatories, sheds and caravans.

Inspector Justin Stubbs said three dogs had already died this summer after being left in cars.

Air pollution is also set to reach dangerous levels, according to ClientEarth.

Alan Andrews, lawyer for the environment consultant, said the “spike” in pollution caused by high ozone levels was “bad news” for Western Europe and those who suffer from respiratory illnesses.

READ MORE: http://www.scotsman.com/news/drunk-pilots-arrested-before-glasgow-toronto-flight-1-4180712| ‘Drunk’ pilots arrested before Glasgow-Toronto flight}

Like The Scotsman on Facebook

DOWNLOAD THE SCOTSMAN APP ON ITUNES OR GOOGLE PLAY