Scotland sweltered in temperatures of 26C yesterday as a “Sahara bubble” swept across the nation.
An “enormous” reservoir of warm air that has triggered emergency measures in mainland Europe sent the mercury shooting skywards.
And it’s going to be hotter today, according to forecasters, with temperatures set to reach as high as 27C in some areas.
Highs of 26C – making it the hottest day of the year – were recorded along the west coast and near Glasgow.
In the east of the country, temperatures reached the low 20s.
Met Office forecaster Matthew Box said: “There is an enormous reservoir of warm air across Europe at the moment.”
In Europe, France has been bracing for the heatwave, with temporary fountains put in place and plans for public pools to stay open for longer, amid forecasts suggesting temperatures could exceed 40C this week.
But sun worshippers should make the most of the hot spell as it's set to be relatively short-lived in the UK, with temperatures cooling down, clouds moving in and even some light showers.
On Sunday, it's back to business as usual with unsettled weather moving in from the Atlantic bringing heavier rain as temperatures plummet to below 20C.
