WARM WELCOME FOR 2020 Scotland Hogmanay forecast: Hottest New Year in 178 years as temperatures soar to 16C

Hot air arrives in Scotland from the Azores, off Portugal - as shown on weather maps. (attached) A mainly dry week into January will ease flood fears.

The Met Office forecast highs around 16C in Scotland up to and including New Year's Eve on Tuesday, due dry and calm conditions for Hogmanay fireworks and warmer daytime temperatures than 12C Corfu, Greece.

It will be the UK's warmest December 31 since records began 178 years ago in 1841 if highs beat the 15.6C in 1910 at Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, date temperature records used for Met Office records show.

Highs will be close to December's overall record temperature for Scotland of 18.3C, set in 1948.

North-East Scotland will be warmest at 16C, 9C above average, with the Central Belt's 11C still 4C above average.

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