Scotland has just enjoyed its sunniest spring since records began.
From March through late May, more than 630 hours of sunshine were recorded, making this the brightest season in over a century.
The Highlands in particular have soaked up an extraordinary spell of golden weather, leaving glens glowing and lochs glittering from dawn till dusk.
It’s a record that nudges out the previous sunniest spring, set in 2020, and feels even more special for those used to dodging drizzle.
Warm light has poured over everything from the Cairngorm peaks to the shores of Skye, turning familiar landscapes into something dreamlike.
Even the quietest corners of the Highlands have felt touched by this rare run of brightness.
It hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Emily Carlisle of the Met Office confirmed the figures are the highest ever seen for this time of year in Scotland.
She says seven of the ten sunniest springs on record have now occurred since the year 2000.
That pattern is raising eyebrows among weather scientists, even as it lifts the hearts of sunseekers across the north.
There’s still a little time left in the season, and some unsettled weather is expected before summer officially begins.
But the tally is unlikely to shift much, and the full statistics for May and the whole of spring will be released on Monday 2 June.
The sunshine has offered a moment of collective joy, from crofters and campers to walkers and wildlife.
It’s also stirred deeper questions about how our seasons are changing and what long-term shifts might be underway.
The data behind this story comes from a long-running Met Office record, stretching back to 1910.
In recent decades, these datasets have captured a noticeable brightening trend, particularly across northern regions.
And while the scientists will keep analysing, many Highlanders are simply savouring the glow.
There’s nothing quite like the soft light of spring on a quiet loch, or the long evenings when the sun just refuses to leave.
It’s a season we won’t forget in a hurry.
