Heatwave to hit Edinburgh as ‘hottest ever’ February temperatures set for weekend

Edinburgh is set for an ‘exceptionally mild’ end to the week as a new record could be set for the hottest ever February day in Scotland.

Met Office meteorologist Becky Mitchell said the mercury could reach 16C in parts of Edinburgh and the Lothians on Friday and Saturday, as a patch of warm air moves up from the Canary Islands.

And she said that Scotland’s February record of 17.9C - set in Aberdeen in 1897 - could be broken, with the most likely place being the Moray coast.

Ms Mitchell said: “On Friday, it could potentially be 15C and 16C in some parts of Edinburgh and the Lothians. Similar temperatures are expected on Saturday. It’s exceptionally mild, about 6 to 7C over the average.

Edinburgh on a warm day from Arthur's Seat. Pic: David Boutin/Shutterstock

“Further afield we are approaching a record for February temperature. It will probably be in the ballpark of what the record is. The Scottish record for February is 17.9C, and temperatures are forecast to be 17C.

“There’s more likely to be a record in the north-east area, potentially the Moray coast area.

“In Edinburgh, temperatures could get to 16C on Saturday so it won’t be too far off, but it’s too early to say (if Edinburgh could break a February record).”

Ms Mitchell said the warm spell is being caused by a huge area of high pressure across Europe which is getting closer to the UK, with dry and sunny weather especially for Scotland.

She added: “It’s also because of high pressure winds coming up from the south, from the Canary Islands.”

The warm weather is a stark comparison to this time last year, when the Beast from the East brought the country to a standstill.

Schools and businesses were forced to close, while travel in and around the Capital was made extremely difficult by the snow and blizzard conditions.

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