a day ago
Brits braced for 'record-breaking summer' as July could be hottest we've ever seen
Scotland's weather has been a real mixed bag as of late, from intense heat to thunderstorms ushering in weather warnings. The country experienced heavy downpours and gusts of 40mph on Wednesday, July 2.
As we approach the weekend, the Met Office has now rolled out another yellow warning for heavy rain on our west coast lasting a whopping 33 hours. More than a whopping 100mm of rainfall and 50mph winds is expected for some areas.
The warning comes into effect at 6am on Friday, July 4, and ends at 3pm on Saturday, July 5, with 40 to 60 mm rain expected to build up quite widely with in excess of 100 mm over a few mountains. Rain will be accompanied by wind, especially during the day on Friday when gales will reach 40 to 50 mph around coasts and hills.
However, it's not all bad, as Britain is also apparently bracing for a potentially record-breaking summer, with odds of 3/1 that this month becomes the hottest July the UK has ever seen, according to betting experts.
Shane Orton, spokesperson at Betideas, said: "The data is pointing toward a very hot month here in the UK. A 3/1 chance for the warmest July ever doesn't come around often.
"With the way temperatures have been trending, it wouldn't be a surprise to see another record fall. We're not saying it's a certainty, but it's definitely on the cards."
Those in the know say there's a one-in-four chance we'll top all previous records for monthly average temperatures in the country. The odds of breaking the all-time UK temperature record are much slimmer, though.
There's a smaller chance - currently 12/1 - that we could see the hottest single July day ever recorded in the UK, which would mean breaking the extreme 40.3C set in 2022.
Globally, however, the heat is even more intense, with odds of 4/7, there's a strong 64 per cent probability that this will be the warmest July the planet has seen since records began.
Shane went on: "Hitting over 40 degrees again would take an extraordinary run of hot days and very specific conditions. It's not impossible, but 12/1 feels about right. It's a long shot, but one worth watching.
"Globally, the picture is even more striking. With a 64 per cent chance of being the hottest July on record worldwide, we're seeing clear signs of the planet heating up year on year.
"The odds strongly suggest that July 2025 will be another climate milestone - and not one we'll be celebrating."
All these numbers may have weather watchers wondering - will Scotland ever hit the elusive 40C mark?
STV weatherman, Sean Batty, says "never say never". "We've already seen it in England – 40.3C in Lincolnshire in 2022, less than 200 miles from the Scottish border," the well-known meteorologist told STV.
"So, is 40C in Scotland really that far-fetched? Honestly, I'd say never say never – that's one thing meteorology has taught me. But realistically, it's still unlikely in our lifetimes."
He went on, reasoning: "What's more plausible is seeing temperatures over 35C within the next decade, and mid-30s becoming more common by the 2050s as our climate continues to warm. Who knows? Maybe one day."
