Scotland heading for driest spring in 40 years after 'less rain than Gran Canaria'
One forecaster has warned that this could end up being the country's driest spring since the 1980s
Scotland has been lapping up the scorching heat and sunshine more or less since the beginning of May. The days have been glorious, and the country has even went as far as to rival the big hitters when it comes to weather.
On Monday (May 12), Auchencruive in South Ayrshire was hotter than Los Angeles, California, which records an average of 23.6C in May, with a blistering temperature of 24.5C, followed by a whopping 25.5C the day after.
Scotland is going up against other global hot spots for quite negative reasons, too, though. Some spots have been astonishingly dry this spring, rainfall figures reveal. In fact, it has been the driest start to a year in Scotland since 1964.
It's been so dry that East Lothian and eastern Fife have seen less rain than Gran Canaria, and Tiree has had less than Majorca, according to STV weatherman Sean Batty, who predicts Scotland is heading for its driest spring in 40 years.
"When we average things out across the country, Scotland has had around 130mm of rain so far this spring," Sean told STV. "There's a hint that things might turn more unsettled in the final week of May.
"But even with rain, I'd say it's unlikely we'll top the 196mm recorded in spring 2001.
"If that holds true, this could end up being our driest spring since the 1980s. At the moment, I think spring 2025 will fall somewhere between the very dry springs of 1980 and 1984, when 150mm and 188mm of rain fell, respectively. That would make it the driest Scottish spring in over 40 years."
One of the standout dry spots is Dunbar in East Lothian, which has had a meagre 14mm of rain since March 1.
Leuchars in Fife isn't far behind, clocking in at just 34mm, less than many of our favourite Spanish holiday destinations. It comes as Spain has experienced an unusually wet spring.
"Malaga has had a hefty 260mm since March 1, and Majorca has seen around 130mm," Sean explained.
The Canary Islands, known for its subtropical climate and often intense heat due to being situated so close to Africa, has experienced more rain than East Lothian. Tenerife has picked up 55mm and Gran Canaria about 45mm.
Meanwhile, Tiree has come in drier than Majorca, and Glasgow has incredibly beat out the Costa del Sol - a popular go-to for vacationing Scots - by coming in drier than Malaga and Majorca with 100mm since March 1.
Although Scots will be savouring some respite from the rain, weather agencies are cautioning that because the winter was relatively dry, too, issues may start to emerge, especially for farmers who depend on river water.
Just this week, Scottish Water urged residents to use supplies sparingly such as taking shorter showers and avoiding using hoses where possible. Advice stopped short of calling for a full hosepipe ban for the first time in 30 years.
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Environment agency SEPA has revealed that 23 areas surrounding major bodies of water were now experiencing some level of water scarcity. This includes around the River Clyde, River Dee, Firth of Forth, and Firth of Tay.
Local water shortages could also be on the cards if we don't see some much wetter-than-average months.
Forecasters do not expect rainfall in the country for another week, until at least Thursday, May 22.
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