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Scotland nudges 25C on hottest day of the year

Mary McCool
BBC Scotland News
Voxpopbob/BBC Weather Watchers A loch with a pier and colourful plastic pedal boats floating in the water. Green hills and trees can be seen in the distance and the sky is blue with some cloudsVoxpopbob/BBC Weather Watchers
Pitlochry saw a hot day with more sun expected for the rest of the week

Temperatures in Scotland have risen to nearly 25C on what has been the hottest day of the year so far.

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.

Across the UK, England's top temperature was 26.7C at Wisley, while Trawscoed in Wales hit 25.8C and Castlederg in Northern Ireland peaked at 24.1C.

A mother holding her two-year-old daughter in a park in Aberdeen with several trees in the background. The mother is wearing yellow sunglasses, a black vest and a rucksack with her brown hair tied up. The daughter has a bright yellow backpack, a denim dress and blue sunglasses. She has bright red hair.
Two-year-old Nina and mum Ailsa were out in the sun in Aberdeen's Victoria Park

An extreme warning for wildfires is in effect in north-east, central and southern parts, lasting until Saturday.

It comes after a spate of wild blazes earlier this month - including one which damaged a decade's worth of conservation work on the Isle of Arran.

A park ranger told the BBC that the fire at Glen Rosa, which burned through 15,000 trees and killed much of the area's wildlife - was likely started by someone leaving a glass bottle in the sun.

At the time the hottest temperature in Scotland was recorded at 22.8C at Aboyne.

Jethro Lennox Fire engines parked in front of hills that are covered in smoke. Jethro Lennox
A wildfire at Glen Rosa on the Isle of Arran earlier this month burned through thousands of trees

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has warned people against lighting fires outdoors this week as dry vegetation across large areas of countryside is essentially "fuel for fire".

Area commander Michael Humphreys added: "Human behaviour can significantly lower the chance of a wildfire starting, so it is imperative we all act responsibly while enjoying the outdoors especially over the coming days of predicted sunshine."

A mini heatwave has swept across the UK this week, with temperatures expected to peak at around 28C on Thursday - the first day of May.

This would make it the hottest April in seven years, according to BBC Weather.

AllyO/BBC Weather Watchers Buildings in Glasgow with greenery nearby. People sit on benches and the sky is blue AllyO/BBC Weather Watchers
Glasgow saw temperatures in the early twenties

The warmth will be accompanied by dry conditions and sunshine bringing high UV and pollen levels.

People were out enjoying the sunny weather early on Wednesday morning, including two-year-old Nina and mum Ailsa.

"I did not expect it to be quite so hot," Ailsa said during a stroll in Aberdeen's Victoria Park.

How long will the hot weather last?

MrsK/BBC Weather Watchers A red and white spaniel-type dog sitting on a stretch of grass - there is a row of trees in the background, atop of which sits Stirling CastleMrsK/BBC Weather Watchers
Skies were clear over Stirling Castle early on Wednesday

We're on our way to today being the warmest day of the year so far, ending April on a very warm and sunny note which feels more like summer than mid-spring, writes Judith Ralston from BBC Scotland Weather.

That's because we're currently importing warm air from south-east France.

Temperatures are set to rise widely into the low 20s across the country – 23 or 24C are certainly possible for northern and eastern Scotland and there may even be 25C in some favoured spots such as Aboyne in Aberdeenshire.

This is all short-lived though, as a cold front makes its way into the north-west later in the week.

This will sweep southwards, introducing cooler air from the polar regions.

Thursday be cooler by 10 degrees for some and you will notice a slight chill in the air.

However, high pressure remains close by right through the rest of the week and into the holiday weekend, keeping conditions nice and settled.