'Unusual' reason Scotland has been basking in high temps explained by Met Office
Scots may be wondering why spring has been so warm and dry so far this year, and they're not alone
The weather gods have shone over Scotland the last few weeks, with the country marking its hottest day of the year so far on Wednesday, April 30. The mercury soared to a whopping 25C in parts as Scots soaked up the heat.
Forecasters recorded a peak of 24.4C at Aboyne in Aberdeenshire - topping the 23.5C confirmed at Aviemore and 23.4C at Leuchars in Fife. The Aboyne figure is the highest April temperature in Scotland since 2019.
Spring has brought notably dry weather across much of the UK, with most regions seeing far less rainfall than usual. And the persistence of these dry conditions has sparked curiosity about what's behind this unusual pattern.
So, what is causing this dry spring?
"The main driving factor has been the prevalence of high-pressure," The Met Office explained.
"Large areas of high pressure, often extending from the Azores or mainland Europe, have lingered over or near the UK for extended periods since late February. High pressure typically brings settled, dry weather, and while it's not unusual to see such pressure systems in spring, their persistence this year has been more pronounced than usual."
A key reason for this lies in the behaviour of the jet stream.
This is a fast-flowing air current high in the atmosphere that usually guides weather systems across the Atlantic.
"This spring, the jet stream has taken a more meandering path, often looping north of the UK," the national forecaster went on.
"This has allowed high pressure to remain in place for longer stretches, effectively blocking the usual progression of weather fronts.
Ian Lisk, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, clarified: "It's all to do with our old friend, the jet stream.
"Weather typically moves across the UK from west to east, but the north-south amplification of the jet stream has enabled areas of high pressure to hang around in the vicinity of the UK.
"This means that our share of the more typical unsettled weather has been deflected away from us."
Intriguingly, he added: "It is a bit unusual for it to have been this persistent, and with the consequences of it bringing the very, very dry spring we've had."
April 2025 has gone down as the sunniest on record for the UK since records began in 1910, with 47 per cent more sunshine than the long-term average, according to provisional Met Office data.
Scotland experienced its second sunniest April ever, and parts of the country saw particularly bright conditions amid a UK average of a whopping 228.9 hours of sunshine during the Easter month.
Temperatures were also notably warm.
All four UK nations recorded their third warmest April, with daytime temperatures playing a major role. Meanwhile, rainfall was well below average, with the UK receiving just 56 per cent of its typical April total.
What's more, with March and April both exceptionally warm and dry, spring 2025 could be one of the warmest and driest on record. However, we have not even reached the middle of May, so the full picture remains to be seen.
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