Bone-dry conditions in the Highlands could unravel the enduring mystery of one of Scotland’s biggest mysteries.
A very dry June has seen Loch Ness drop to such a low level, old piers that were once below the surface have suddenly emerged.
The RNLI reported water levels are now the ‘lowest ever recorded’ after the crew of a lifeboat were unable to take a stricken yacht to the nearest landing point because of the lack of water depth.
And it is thought that the age-old question of what lurks beneath the water line of Scotland’s most famous loch could now be solved.
Loch Ness Monster hunter Steve Feltham, who has been at the lochside for three decades, wrote on his Facebook page: “In 30 years of sitting here, I can’t remember ever seeing the water down this low.
“If it carries on this like this, we will have the Nessie mystery solved.”
River flows thought to be ‘very low’
One local has said that a conservative estimate suggests that the level of the loch is one metre lower across the whole loch, meaning that there are 56 billion litres less water in total.
An early warning of water scarcity has been imposed by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency for north west Scotland and the Western Isles.
River flows in the north west are said to be ‘very low’ and forecasters suggest there is little in the way of rainfall in the long-term forecast.
Limit water use
Scots have already been asked to limit their use of water over concerns that staycationing this summer could prove a major draw on natural resources.
Island communities, in particular, are thought to be vulnerable as tourism can double their population during the holiday season.
Scottish Water have asked customers to take shorter showers, to turn the tap off while brushing teeth and to use a watering can in the garden, instead of a hose.
They insist there is no crisis, with reservoir levels sitting at around 85 per cent of capacity.
‘Flaming’ June will give way to a hot July on Thursday, when the Scottish Environment Protection Agency is expected to produce its latest water scarcity report.
By Tuesday, parts of the west could see unbroken sunshine and highs of 24C (75F). Most days this week should hover between 21C and 22C (70-72F),
The Met Office say some parts of Scotland have received less than a third of their normal June rainfall, with Aberdeenshire one of the driest spots this month. The region has only seen 20.8mm (less than an inch) of rain, which is 29 per cent of its average June rainfall.
The figure for Scotland as a whole is 39.5mm (one and a half inches), less than half of what it would normally expect.
By contrast, southern England has already seen 43.5mm (1.7 inches) so far in June, with warnings that two month’s worth (up to 80mm) could fall yesterday (Sun) alone.
Grahame Madge of the Met Office said: “Longer term, there appears to be a signal for above average temperatures developing into July.
“No-one is saying there will be a heatwave all the way through and the forecast still holds out the prospect of thunderstorms and showers as the ‘payback’ for the higher temperatures.
“But all of the information we are receiving now points to warmer weather than normal going right through next month.”