Grey Skies Persist Over Shetland During UK Heatwave
While much of the United Kingdom has been experiencing a heatwave, Shetland remains under overcast and grey skies. The sun briefly appeared from behind the clouds on Thursday morning, but the islands have largely stayed dry.
The temperature in Lerwick reached a peak of 16°C earlier in the day, accompanied by a light southwesterly breeze.
In stark contrast, the UK recorded its hottest June day for the second consecutive day, with a provisional temperature of 36.4°C recorded in Yeovilton, Somerset. Southern Scotland was forecast to experience temperatures up to 30°C on Thursday, potentially marking the hottest day of the year so far for the country.
Tourists Embrace Cooler Shetland Weather
Despite the cooler conditions, hundreds of tourists have arrived in Shetland aboard two cruise ships. Among them is Rich Lancellot, visiting from Florida, USA. He recalled Scotland's recent sweltering World Cup match against Brazil and expressed his appreciation for the cooler climate in Shetland.
"I'm loving the cooler weather here. It's absolutely amazing we're so happy to be in a cooler climate. I'm loving it. It's awesome here."
Rachel Nutman from the Lake District in Cumbria is spending two weeks in Shetland with friends. She described the temperature as "delightful" and welcomed the relief of cooler weather compared to the 35°C experienced on the south coast.
"Today is a delightful temperature here. When I knew we were coming up here and it's 35°C on the south coast it was relief to know it was only 15 or 16°C here today."
The cooler climate is a significant draw for visitors during the summer months. Andrew Nicolson, a bus tour guide, commented on the typical Shetland weather.
"It's just Shetland weather, four seasons in one day. We just take what we get and we always remind the rest of the folk in the UK we're up here in the Shetland Islands looking down on the rest of the UK."
Local resident Joy Duncan from Scalloway shared her perspective on the weather.
"There's many, many brilliant reasons to live in Shetland but the weather is not one of them. While my friends are cooking and melting in London, I've got my jacket on here."
Joy said she would "love to melting" in London.
Why Shetland Avoids Heatwaves
Fair Isle weatherman Dave Wheeler explained the reasons behind Shetland's cooler temperatures during summer heatwaves.
"Shetland doesn't have the landmass to get warm. The islands are surrounded by relatively cool seas even in summer. That keeps our temperatures down."
He added that for the islands to experience warmer weather, the wind direction would need to change to bring warm air from the continent.
"Our highest temperature was 22.6°C in July 2022."
However, Wheeler noted that warm air crossing the sea tends to accumulate moisture, resulting in cloudy conditions.
For those seeking to escape the heatwave, Shetland offers a cooler alternative.
