Scotland temperatures reach 21.9C in warmest day of the year after 'wettest April since 2012'

Scotland has experienced its warmest day of the year so far today as temperatures reached over 21C in certain areas - but not everyone was feeling the heat.

According to the Met Office, the mercury peaked at a sizzling 21.9C in Aultbea in the northwest Highlands today, May 1. It's the highest temperature recorded so far for 2024, with Santon Downham in England also recording a new high of 22.1C.

It comes as the weather forecasters have named last month as the 'wettest April since 2012' and the fourth wettest April in Scotland since the early 19th century.

However, not everyone in Scotland enjoyed the warmer temperatures today. For example, in Inbervervie on the east coast, today's peak was just 9.9C - which is more than 10C difference.

The sunnier climate will come as a relief for Scots after what was an incredibly wet and dull April.

According to a new blog post from the Met Office, the UK experienced 55 percent more rainfall than average last month, which will be no surprise to many people.

In fact, Scotland experiencing its fourth wettest April in a series which started in 1836. It saw 148.9mm of rainfall across the month – more than 60 percent of its average and the wettest April since 1947.

Some places in Scotland saw more than double their average rainfall for the month. Edinburgh saw very large rainfall totals, receiving 239% of its average April rainfall, which is its second wettest on record.

East and West Lothian, Aberdeen and Clackmannanshire also recorded more than double their average rainfall in the month.

Met Office Scientist Emily Carlisle said: “April has been a continuation of the past few months: often wet, windy and unsettled. April showers were present from the beginning of the month, with frontal systems bringing persistent precipitation across the UK. Although a high-pressure system moved over the UK on the 20th bringing some drier weather, by the end of the month, low pressure was back in charge, bringing with it more rain.”

However, the month of May already appears to be a vast improvement thanks to an area of high pressure causing a band of higher temperatures across Scotland this week.

After the warmest day of the year so far today, conditions in the west of Scotland are set to remain warm on Thursday and Friday with temperatures in the high teens.

However, the east coast more likely to be affected by colder easterly winds and low cloud.

The Met Office has said that although the forecast for the bank holiday this weekend still remains uncertain, it's predicted that conditions could remain 'fairly warm' with a few scattered showers.

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