SCOTLAND could see its warmest day of the year so far, with temperatures higher than European holiday hotspots, after firefighters battled wildfires across the country.
Much of the country will be dry and sunny on Friday, and some parts of Scotland may hit upwards of 20C as weather “nearer to what we’d expect in July” continues, the Met Office said.
The highest temperature recorded so far this year in Scotland was on Thursday, as Achnagart in the Highlands reached 20.1C.
Across the UK, the highest temperature so far this year has been 21.3C in Northolt, west London on March 20.
It means the country is expected to be warmer than Marbella and Ibiza in Spain, Mykonos in Greece and even Los Angeles in California, according to Met Office forecasts.
Eastern areas of the country were cooler due to easterly winds over the North Sea.
The Met Office said on social media: “Temperatures (on Thursday) have been nearer to what we’d expect in July in some inland and western areas, but conversely a chilly easterly breeze has kept many eastern coastal regions much colder.”
The average temperature for this time of year is around 10C in Scotland, w meteorologists anticipating that temperatures could rise further, potentially reaching up to 30C later in April, particularly in regions like Moray and the northern Highlands.
The end of the week is fast approaching - but will the weather be any different where you are on Friday? Find out in the 4cast 👇 pic.twitter.com/DwgLaGgP1l
— Met Office (@metoffice) April 3, 2025
Forecaster Dan Stroud said: “We’ve got an area of cloud and showery outbreaks of rain moving northwards across south-west England and parts of Wales overnight tonight and into tomorrow.
“So that will bring some welcome rain for small parts of the country, but much of the country is looking at another fine and dry spring day tomorrow with a lot of warm sunshine on offer, although still holding on to those cool temperatures near the east coast.
“But one thing we are expecting tomorrow is for temperatures to creep up into 23C or maybe the odd isolated 24C, so potentially the warmest day of the year so far.”
Met Office issues wildfire warnings across Scotland
It comes as firefighters have been tackling major blazes in Scotland.
Stroud said wildfires have hit the country after a dry period in March.
In Scotland, crews have been fighting a large grass fire at Gartur Moss in Port of Menteith, Stirling.
The alarm was raised around noon on Wednesday and four fire engines remained at the scene on Thursday morning.
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said the blaze stretched half a kilometre.
It added that a “very high to extreme” risk of wildfire remains across the country until Monday and urged the public not to light fires outdoors.
Crews have already extinguished a wildfire near Bonhill in West Dunbartonshire and another in the Kilpatrick Hills near Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire, earlier this week.
