Courier country basked in glorious sunshine at the weekend, with temperatures hitting 22C and the good news for sun-seekers is that the barbecue weather is set to continue.
Forecasters are predicting Britain’s best spell of July weather since 2006’s heatwave, when temperatures reached sweltering 31C highs in Scotland.
After a damp and disappointing spring, we are set to enjoy temperatures on a par with Spanish holiday resorts.
Temperatures could be as high as 25C today and on Tuesday before dropping to around 19C on Wednesday and back up to 23C on Thursday.
Met Office forecaster Tony Gray said: “Good weather is expected to last through the week and the cumulative effect of sunny days will see temperatures get warmer and warmer.”
The welcome promise of sunshine comes after Scotland endured its sixth wettest summer in a century last year.
However, the good weather also means the area’s hay fever sufferers will have to contend with extremely high pollen counts.
Popular green spaces and beauty spots were packed at the weekend while dinner was swapped for barbecues and drinks in the sun.
The sunny weather was good news for the Broughty Ferry Gala, which enjoyed massive turnouts this year as a result of the temperatures.
Carnoustie Gala Day on Saturday was also packed and it was a similar scene at the East Neuk Festival as the area was bathed in sunshine.
Organisers in Carnoustie were especially delighted by the weather after last year’s event was hit by the worst rain in its history.
Supermarkets were seeing a roaring trade in barbecues and suncream, along with strawberries and Pimm’s although it’s fair to say the latter two may have had less to do with the weather and more to do with a certain tennis match taking place on Sunday.
The month-long outlook is more uncertain but forecasters predict that the heatwave could last into August.
That has led to hopes of the best July since records began in 1914.
Ladbrokes have cut the odds of this being broken to 3/1.
Odds that the highest temperature ever will be recorded this summer have also fallen, from 20/1 to 8/1.
The UK record of 38.5C (101.3F) was recorded in Faversham, Kent, on August 10 2003.