Where has summer gone in Scotland?

Short answer – the jet stream.

This is a strong current of air in the upper troposphere, about five to seven miles above the Earth’s surface.

Mr MacColl said the jet stream was in a west to north-westerly orientation across the North Atlantic.

He said: “This has resulted in Scotland often being either under, or more commonly, on the cold side of the jet.

“As a consequence, we have frequently seen polar maritime airstreams curve around areas of low pressure to our north, bringing persistent chilly and unsettled conditions with frequent showery days and periods of longer spells of rain.”

The forecaster added: “Whilst the prolonged nature of such a chilly weather pattern through June and into July has been unusual, given our proximity to the Atlantic and the prevailing west to south-westerly flow, we do get summers where there are very little breaks in the Atlantic winds, which just continue to blow across the country maintaining changeable, cool, cloudy and often wet conditions.”