Scotland basked in a “tongue of fire” heatwave on Friday – with temperatures hotter than Los Angeles.
The sweeping across Europe will see temperatures soar to 29C on Saturday in some areas after Friday was confirmed as the hottest day of the year.
There was road-melting heat of 26C in the central belt, with thousands taking to the beach and parks to soak up the rays.
The mercury shot up to over 28.8C in Achnagart in the Highlands – the hightest temperature in Scotland this year. But Saturday is due to be even hotter in places although the west of Scotland is expected to see rain return on Saturday evening.
Sunny LA on the US West coast could only manage 25C on Friday.
Sunday should be cooler in Scotland, with some areas overcast but with 21C temperatures.
Weather Outlook forecaster Brian Gaze said: “A tongue of fire is extending from the continent to Scotland, with a ‘Scorching Saturday,’ after a ‘Frazzled Friday’ for many.”
Met Office official Nicola Maxey added: “Scotland could see 29C on Saturday in the East, in areas like Aberdeen and Aviemore, after the high 20s on Friday mainly in the West.
“There’s remarkable heat across many parts of Europe, with highs in the 40s and records being broken.
“Saturday in the UK will be hot and sunny with very high UV, so take precautions, drink plenty of water and stay in the shade if you can. It’s cooler on Sunday in Atlantic air.”
The blast of warm weather has led some meteorologists to predict new June records will be set in France, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium.
France has been braced for the heatwave, with temporary fountains put in place and plans for public pools to stay open for longer.
On Friday, temperatures reached their highest since records began, with the southern town of Gallargues-le-Montueux seeing the mercury hit 45.9C.
In Spain, two people are believed to have died from suspected heatstroke – a 17-year-old farm worker in Cordoba and an 80-year-old man in Valladolid.
The hot spell is set to be short-lived in the UK, with unsettled weather moving in from the Atlantic on Sunday.
Met Office forecaster Bonnie Diamond said yesterday: “Heat from Africa could challenge all-time records across Europe, including France’s 44.1C temperature record, with the mid-40s possible in France and Spain. England has a 30 per cent chance of temperatures higher than the 35.6C June record on Saturday.
“Highs will be widely over 30C in the south-east.”
South of the Border, NHS England and emergency services have issued warnings to the public to take care in the hot conditions following the death of 12-year-old Shukri Yahya Abdi, who drowned in the River Irwell in Bury on Thursday.
Greater Manchester Police warned about the dangers of cooling off in water in the warm weather
In recent days, European forecasters have said that “hell is coming”.
The news struck fear into many who recall the continent’s 2003 heatwave which saw 15,000 people die as temperatures reached a peak of 44.1C.
