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A scarcely-believable temperature has been recorded in the Scottish Highlands this afternoon, after the small town of Kinlochewe saw the mercury reach 19.2C. The abnormally-high reading is thought to be a new record for the UK in January.
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Kinlochewe, north of Inverness, is also now likely to experience the hottest ever winter temperature recorded in Scotland during winter, between the months of December and February. The Met Office say any record figures remain ‘provisional’ for now.
If confirmed, this new record will have officially smashed the outstanding one of 18.3C, which the Met Office has logged three times for the month of January – in 1958, 1971, and most recently in 2003.
“Kinlochewe has recorded 19.2C today, making it provisionally a new UK maximum temperature record for January and a new winter record (Dec-Feb) for Scotland. The strong southerly wind and a Foehn effect has pushed the temperature up.” | Met Office
The location of this phenomenon has also caught observers by surprise. However, meteorological experts believe that strong winds and something known as the Foehn Effect are responsible for pushing the temperature towards the 20C mark.
The Foehn Effect is the term given to a dry and warm down-slope wind, which usually occurs in the lee of a mountain range. When warming air drops most of its moisture on the sloped peaks, it can cause a sudden spike in temperatures.
One local resident said on social media that the winds were currently ‘roaring’, and that the air is ‘warm on the skin’. And, just like that, beer garden weather has come to Scotland in January. The mind boggles…
