Scotland's weather: Temperatures to hit 15C on balmy Sunday

The Lucas ice-cream parlour is expecting a busy weekend. Picture: Phil Wilkinson

Forecasters say temperatures are likely to be around almost 10C above the average 6.5C (43.7F) for January, giving Scots the opportunity to enjoy some spring-like weather.

Thermometers are likely to peak at around 15C tomorrow as a dip in the Atlantic jet stream pushes warmer weather over the UK from the south west and the Azores. This comes days after temperatures of minus 12.4C (9.7F) were recorded in Kinbrace in the Highlands, on 19 January – the coldest day of the year so far.

A spokeswoman from the Met Office said that temperatures would be above average across the country today.

“We are expecting to see double figures this weekend, starting off on Saturday at around 9C or 10C. Sunday will be milder with temperatures in the range of 11C to 12C then rising to about 15C depending on how much cloud there is.

“Moray, Aberdeen and possibly Edinburgh will be among the warmest on Saturday. Moray and Aberdeenshire will also see the best weather on Sunday.”

The mild outlook will continue into next week, though heavy and prolonged rain is likely midweek, particularly in the north and west, with winds of up to 60mph.

A spokeswoman for Luca’s, the Italian-Scottish ice-cream parlour founded in 1908 with premises in Musselburgh, East Lothian, and Morningside in Edinburgh, said: “Nothing surprises me about the weather, it is Scotland. We are busy year round with this being a traditional place and folk coming in saying things like ‘oh, this is where I had my first ice-cream in 1953, as well as families and youngsters dropping in.

“But this weekend will make a difference because it is more likely that people will be out walking and drop in for an ice-cream when they are out enjoying the harbour or going to the Musselburgh Lagoons for things like fishing.”

However, despite the predicted sunshine, Billy Payne, a forecaster with MeteoGroup warned about the possibility of more flooding.

“In the next week or two flooding could become a concern, especially for areas previously affected this winter.”

Last night, there were four flood warnings in place for Tayside and four across  Aberdeenshire, Dumfries and Galloway, and Dundee and Angus.