Scotland ‘hotter than Mediterranean’ - in October

SCOTLAND yesterday basked in temperatures warmer than the Mediterranean on Tuesday as the mercury nudged 20C on one of the hottest days ever recorded this late in the year.

Parts of Scotland basked in unsually warm-for-the-time-of-year temperatures. Picture: Scott Louden

Three days after the first snow of winter was seen in Scotland, the Met Office said that western parts of the country experienced temperatures of 20C - up from the normal average of 12C in late October - which was hotter than Nice in France.

Even Scotland’s cloudier eastern parts experienced warm weather for the tine of year.

The latest date Scotland has recorded 20C is November 4th, set in 1946 by Fife and Nairnshire, according to Met Office records.

Emma Sharples, a forecaster with the Met Office said: “Tuesday’s warm air saw 20C possible in western Scotland with air drawn from the continent.

“Bands of rain will follow, but a southerly air flow means temperatures will stay mild, with spells of brighter, drier weather.”

And it could well be a warm Hallowe’en weekend, with Scotland in line for temperatures of 16C in parts, along with sunny spells between weather fronts.

MeteoGroup added that stormy Atlantic weather was bringing hot air from Spain to Scotland, but gales and rain for southern England.

A spokesperson added: “Low pressure over the Atlantic is allowing mild air over Spain to travel to the UK.”