Scotland is set to experience a marked drop in temperatures this bank holiday weekend, with forecasts indicating lows approaching 0°C in some Highland areas. Alongside the chill, persistent rainfall is expected to affect much of the country, ending the recent spell of warm and dry weather.
After several weeks of unseasonably warm conditions, with some regions reaching highs of 26°C, the Met Office warns of a significant shift in weather patterns. This change is poised to bring a notably colder and wetter weekend, impacting outdoor plans and events across Scotland.
End of Heatwave Brings Sharp Temperature Drop and Rain
According to weather maps from WX Charts, based on Met Desk data, temperatures will plummet during the early hours of Friday, May 23, signalling the end of a prolonged heatwave.
Parts of the Highlands may experience temperatures as low as 0°C overnight, while maximum daytime temperatures are expected to reach only around 16°C on Friday — nearly 10 degrees cooler than recent highs. Auchincruive, which recently recorded temperatures above 25°C, exemplifies the abrupt nature of this change.
Mark Sidaway, deputy chief meteorologist at the Met Office, explained that the high-pressure system responsible for the dry, warm spell will weaken, allowing more unsettled weather to take hold.
“The high pressure that has been around for the last few weeks will slowly lose its grip on the UK this week, bringing a change to more unsettled conditions with many areas seeing rain or showers, ending the prolonged dry spell,” Sidaway said.
Widespread Rainfall to Dampen Weekend Activities
The incoming weather front is forecast to begin affecting western Scotland and the Western Isles by midday Friday, with rain spreading eastwards throughout the day. By Friday evening, most of the mainland is expected to be experiencing rain ranging from light drizzle to heavy downpours.
Although Saturday may see slightly milder temperatures, with highs between 14°C and 18°C depending on the region, the weather will remain unsettled, with some areas experiencing continuing showers.
Sunday is forecast to be cooler still, with temperatures between 12°C and 14°C, accompanied by further wet weather — a factor likely to impact outdoor events such as the Edinburgh Marathon.
The Met Office’s long-range forecast emphasises that unsettled conditions are expected to persist into the following week. Weather systems moving in from the Atlantic will bring intermittent drier and brighter intervals but also frequent showers, some potentially heavy or thundery. The west of Scotland is predicted to receive the most rainfall during this period.
This forecast follows the recent introduction of a new supercomputer at the Met Office, designed to improve the accuracy of weather predictions across the UK, particularly for rainfall events. This development aims to provide better information for public safety and event planning in variable weather conditions.
