SIZZLING Scotland will be hotter than Turkey at 23C as a new 800-mile-wide 'heat dome' arrives from the May Bank Holiday.
The fresh wave of heat will give further cheer to Scots as May so far is the hottest for 160 years, Met Office forecasters said.
The weekend saw a beach rush, with 25C in Glasgow.
But there are flood risks as heavy rain hits from Tuesday and 50mph gusts buffet the East in midweek.
Highs in Scotland are expected to fall from 20C tomorrow to 17C by Thursday.
Much of Scotland faces more rain as an Atlantic soaking hits on Saturday.
But showers ease on an 19C Sunday and clear further for Bank Holiday Monday sunny spells, kicking off dry skies for many as heat builds.
Highs next week are set to climb to 23C, hotter than 22C Istanbul.
The Weather Outlook forecaster Brian Gaze said: “There's potential for it to be warm or very warm on occasion in the week from May 24.”
A Met Office forecaster added: “It turns unsettled with showers and a risk of heavy rain from Tuesday, with strong winds by midweek in eastern areas.
“Early in the Bank Holiday weekend has another band of rain moving in from the west.
“But into the next week has increasingly settled conditions more likely for most, with temperatures likely to be a little above average.
“Southern and eastern areas will have sunshine between occasional showers, though rain may threaten north-western areas.”
May so far is the UK's hottest since records began in the 1860s at 13.5C, a giant 3.6C above average.
Met Office forecaster Aidan McGivern said: “It's the warmest first half of May on record.”
Five-day forecast
Today - Patchy cloud to start the day, mainly in the east, but brightening up during the morning. Sunny spells and some heavy, and perhaps thundery showers into the afternoon. Maximum temperature 22 °C.
Tonight - Showers dying out during the evening with some later sunshine for many, although more cloud developing across eastern areas with some mist and fog here at times. Minimum temperature 10 °C.
Monday - A cloudy start in the east, sunny for many around the west coasts. Any mist and fog will soon clear and sunny spells will develop. Maximum temperature 21 °C.
Outlook for Tuesday to Thursday - Mainly sunny on Tuesday but some showers developing later. A change to more unsettled conditions on Wednesday and Thursday with cloud and rain spreading north, winds strengthening too.