IT may be time to dig out the shorts, sunglasses and suncream. . . a heatwave is expected to hit much of the UK – including East Lothian – later this week. 

Temperatures are expected to rise to as high as 26 degrees in parts of the UK, but forecasts suggest East Lothian residents may have to settle for a high of 18 degrees. 

Even over the last couple of days, blue skies have returned, as captured in the image below by Caroline Easton, posted yesterday (Sunday) on the Courier Camera Club Facebook page. 

East Lothian Courier:

And although there is expected to be more cloud in Scotland than parts of England that are set to get the best of the weather, it is a welcome change from the snow storms of just a few weeks ago. 

Meteorologist Alex Burkill said the weather will be "turning warmer for a little time.

"It is not out of the question that we can get 20C tomorrow - which I believe would make it the warmest day of the year so far."

"On Wednesday it will be mostly dry and rather sunny for most places, but there will be some rain affecting Northern Ireland, Scotland and perhaps some parts of northern England too.

Mr Burkill said it is "not especially" unusual to see such temperatures, adding: "Quite often we would have already gone above 20C by this time in the year.

"It is quite normal for spring to be like this and to bring some colder spells and some temperatures like this."

He revealed that the warm and sunny weather looks set to continue into the weekend, but that it may be a little cooler, and said there could be some rain pushing in from the west by Sunday.