Prepare to say goodbye to summer as sunshine gives way to rainstorms

If you were planning to get out and top up your tan this August, you might want to swap your sun block for an umbrella.

Heavy rain and wind are expected to sweep through Scotland today, prompting a severe weather warning for Glasgow the location for this evening’s Commonwealth Games’ finale.

The weather for the rest of the week is also set to be unsettled, with sunshine and showers likely in the west and southeast from Monday through to Wednesday.

And the Queen may need some sturdy tweed and wellies for her annual summer retreat to Balmoral, Aberdeenshire, this month, as forecasters predicted “grey and wet” days for August.

Temperatures are expected to average at 16.6 degrees throughout the country spelling the end of one of the hottest summers on record.

A spokesman for the Met Office said a wash out is coming. She explained: “There are going to be days when it will be quite warm and it will feel quite nice, but there will also be days where there will be showers.”

July saw temperatures reach as high as 27 degrees and on the 9th, Glasgow was the best sunbathing spot in all of the UK with 16.1 hours of sunshine.

But for some, the rainy days are a welcome arrival.

Dionne Philip, from the Clown Around Indoor Play Centre in Edinburgh, is one of them.

She said: “When it’s sunny and dry it’s not busy but the minute the rain comes on everybody comes here. This weekend we had to put our ‘full’ sign up at 11 in the morning, after being open for just an hour. So rain is good!”

Gardeners too are likely to feel the benefit of a spell of wetter weather. Freelance landscaper Mellors McBride, 38, from Giffnock, East Renfrewshire, said he’s been called to countless parched lawns in need of some tender, loving care.

He said: “Newly laid turf needs constant watering but the hot spell we had in July meant that didn’t happen. There are a lot of poorly lawns out there. A spell of wet August weather would be a welcome thing for me.”

The bad weather is also unlikely to put off tourists, according to VisitScotland. Chief Executive Malcolm Roughead said: “Come rain or shine, Scotland is a beautiful place to explore and our surveys continually show that the weather is of little consequence to visitors.

“Whether it’s stormy clouds over the mountains of Glencoe or blue skies over coral beaches in Skye, visitors are in awe of the breathtaking scenery and visit and re-visit in their droves for the landscapes, cities, culture and people.

“Throughout this year, Scotland will welcome the world and it is our chance to showcase everything that is great about Scotland.

“With the world-famous Edinburgh Festivals taking place throughout August and countless Homecoming 2014 events across the country, we know visitors will have an experience of a lifetime regardless of the weather.”

Meanwhile, revellers heading for next weekend’s Party at the Palace, in Livingston are being advised to pack for all weathers.

“A bikini and an umbrella would be the most advisable items to bring,” said an organiser for the event which is due to be headlined by Simple Minds and Deacon Blue.