MoredownpourstocapdireAugust
IF you think summer has forgotten to come to Scotland this year, you’re right.
It has been one of the coldest Augusts for 30 years with “abysmal” peak temperatures, following suit from June and July – and shivering Scots are set for more misery this week.
Temperatures have only crept above 21ºC twice this month and the last three weeks have been colder than peak August temperatures in all but five years since 1987, Met Office records showed.
August has sizzled in Scotland in recent years – with 27ºC last year and 26ºC in 2015, 2013 and 2012. 2003 saw an all-time record of 32.9ºC but just two days this month reached above 21.9ºC.
The month’s peak temperature of 24.1ºC was set on Tuesday at Threave, Dumfries and Galloway while Wednesday saw 22.4º Cat Kinloss, Moray but the central belt was stuck at just 19º C both days.
The Weather Outlook forecaster Brian Gaze said: “Summer was flushed down the pan early this year in Scotland, with disappointed holidaymakers and abysmal peak August temperatures.”
Today’s weather may offer a glimmer of hope as highs of 20ºC are expected in the east but those hoping the sun will stick around are in for disappointment as wind and rain are expected back tomorrow.
The coming downpours are likely to tip soggy Scotland into one of the wettest Augusts in history as the country had already reached its entire average rainfall for the month by Wednesday with more downpours almost every day since.
An average of 116mm has already fallen this month in Scotland, the Met Office said, with the buckets of rain, gusty winds and cool temperatures putting a dampener on major events including the Royal Military Tattoo and Edinburgh Fringe.
Scotland did have a two-day heatwave this year – but it came three months ago. Lossiemouth, Moray hit 29.4ºC on May 26 after Aboyne, Aberdeenshire topped 29.4ºC the day before.