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Scotland experienced a series of intense thunderstorms and widespread lightning strikes that caused significant damage and disruption across the country. On Thursday night, a house in Midlothian suffered severe damage when its roof caught fire during the storm. The incident occurred in the eastern part of Scotland amid heavy rainfall and frequent lightning, while parts of the Highlands, including a camping and caravan park at Dornoch, endured flash flooding and hailstorms. Meanwhile, Edinburgh Airport faced delays due to the adverse weather conditions.
The Met Office issued a yellow thunderstorm warning covering most of Scotland, excluding Shetland, which remained in effect through Friday. Meteorologist Christopher Blanchett reported that approximately 32,000 lightning strikes had been recorded across Scotland within 24 hours. The extreme weather followed a record high temperature day on Thursday, with Threave in Dumfries and Galloway reaching 31.2°C. This heatwave, marked by three consecutive days of temperatures above 25°C, contributed to an unstable atmosphere, intensified by a nearby cold front that triggered the thunderstorms.
Stuart Drummond, a resident of Dalkeith, described waking up at around 3 a.m. to loud thunder and lightning “billowing” overhead. He recounted how a sudden fire started near the telephone entry box in his home after a loud crack was heard, leading to a blackout. Despite his efforts to contain the flames with a fire blanket, smoke filled the house quickly. Upon opening the back door, he saw fire coming through the roof, prompting neighbors to urge evacuation for safety. Drummond believes the blaze was almost certainly caused by a lightning strike and expressed gratitude for his neighbors’ assistance, though regretting the loss of some cherished belongings.
In the Highlands, Darren Redfern, operator of Dornoch Caravan and Camping Park, witnessed an extraordinary thunderstorm featuring continuous lightning flashes likened to strobe lights and persistent thunder lasting 15 to 20 minutes. Following this, large hailstones—some described as small pebbles—pelted the area, damaging tents, awnings, and gazebos, and causing flooding severe enough to displace families who sought shelter indoors overnight. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service responded promptly to the Dalkeith house fire with four engines and a specialist unit, managing to safely secure the scene without casualties by early morning. The unsettled weather continued to affect travel, with Edinburgh Airport cautioning passengers about ongoing disruptions throughout the day as further storms and heavy rain moved across Scotland
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