Shetland weather in January (Scotland)

Can you expect sunny skies in Shetland in January? Wondering about the weather this month? Our guide has all the details you need.

Temperatures

During January, Shetland usually has low temperatures and high rainfall. During the day, temperatures can climb to about 9°C. At night, they may fall to a cooler 5°C.

Precipitation

Shetland in January usually receives high rainfall, averaging around 136 mm for the month. As the rainiest month, carrying an umbrella is advisable to manage the frequent rain. Delving into the climate records from the past 30 years, one can predict that nearly 26 days of the month will see rainfall.

Average sunshine

The area experiences limited sunny days, amounting to roughly 29 hours of sunshine. This makes it perfect for those who lean towards cooler, cloudier settings rather than intense sunlit days.

If you're looking for dry conditions and comfortable temperatures, January may not be the ideal month to visit Shetland. July, August and September typically offer the most agreeable circumstances. On the other hand, January, February, March, April, May, October, November and December tend to be characterized by conditions that may not be as optimal.

For an in-depth look at the yearly conditions, visit our specialized Shetland climate page with graphs.

 

Shetland, monthly averages in January

Min Temperature 5°C  

Max Temperature 9°C  

Chance of Rain 88%  

Precipitation 136 mm  

Rainy days 26 days  

Sunshine 29 hours  

Percentage Sunshine  

Where to go in Scotland in January

Find out more about the weather in Scotland and which places have the best travel conditions in this month.

Weather conditions Weather

Temperatures

Precipitation

Map not visible? Whoops sorry! Please refresh the page.

Legend perfect weather pleasant tolerable unpleasant poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C and 29°C and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm a month).

So, what should you wear in this month?

Wear a base layer in cold weather; this is the #1 thing you can do to increase your overall body temperature.

What To Do

We rated the following activities from 1 (least suitable) to 10 (best) to do.

Swimming

4/10

Cycling

4/10

Walking

4/10

Camping

3/10

Outdoor sports

4/10

Interested in more climate information?

This site provides you with all the information you need about the climate in Shetland.

Our site offers climate and forecast data for every country in the world. Are you going to Scotland? On this website you can find historical weather averages for many cities in Scotland. Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.