Scotland is bracing for a bout of wild weather after the Met Office issued two separate thunderstorm warnings covering large parts of the country, including Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Perth.
The warnings, which cover significant chunks of Scottish territory, signal that residents should expect heavy rain, lightning and the kind of dramatic skies that Scotland does particularly well.
Met Office forecasters say the storms could bring some serious disruption. Torrential downpours are expected to hit quickly, with the potential for flooding on roads and in low-lying areas. Lightning strikes are also a concern, and anyone planning to be outdoors should keep a close eye on the forecast before heading out.
Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Perth are among the cities and towns sitting within the warning zones, meaning a large chunk of the Scottish population could be affected. Rural areas are not off the hook either, with farmers and those working outdoors advised to stay alert.
The double warning setup means the storms are expected to arrive in waves rather than as one single event, giving some areas a brief reprieve before conditions deteriorate again. Forecasters have been tracking the system closely as it pushes in from the west, building in intensity as it moves across the country.
Transport could take a hit during the worst of the weather. Drivers are being urged to take extra care on the roads, particularly on routes that are known to flood quickly during heavy rainfall. Train services could also face delays if the storms are as intense as predicted.
For those living near rivers or in areas that have flooded before, it is worth keeping tabs on the Scottish Environment Protection Agency flood alerts alongside the Met Office warnings. The combination of saturated ground and heavy rain can cause water levels to rise faster than expected.
The Met Office colour-coded warning system puts these alerts at a level where disruption is likely but not guaranteed to be severe. That said, Scottish weather has a habit of exceeding expectations, and forecasters are not ruling out localised flash flooding in the most affected spots.
Anyone heading into the hills or planning outdoor activities is being advised to reconsider or at the very least have a solid backup plan. Thunderstorms in elevated areas carry extra risks, and mountain rescue teams are always stretched thinner when the weather turns nasty.
The warnings serve as a reminder that even in summer, Scotland can throw some pretty ferocious weather at short notice. Keeping the Met Office app handy and checking for updates regularly is the best advice for anyone in the affected zones over the coming days.