Edinburgh Weather and Climate: A Comprehensive Guide
Due to its proximity to the ocean, the climate of Edinburgh is a lot milder than you might expect. Despite its northern location, Edinburgh rarely experiences periods of frost. During the summer months, the average daytime temperature is around 19°C. During the winter, it is around 3°C. The annual rainfall is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. However, in the period from February to June, the precipitation is a bit lower. Edinburgh has about 1400 hours of sunshine per year.
Average maximum day and minimum night temperature
In Edinburgh, temperatures differ significantly between summer and winter months. Average maximum daytime temperatures range from a pleasant 19°C in July, the warmest time of the year, to a chilly 8°C during cooler months like December.
At night, temperatures typically drop to an average of around 2°C during these months. Check out our detailed temperature page for more information.Temperature ranges by month
Precipitation and rainy days
On average, Edinburgh receives a reasonable amount of rain/snowfall, with an annual precipitation of 950 mm. Year-round, Edinburgh has a balanced climate with minimal variation in precipitation. The difference between the wettest month, October, with 90 mm, and the driest month, April, with 66 mm, is minimal.The mean monthly precipitation over the year, including rain, hail and snow
The average number of days each month with precipitation
Sunshine over the year
Seasonal changes in sunshine hours are quite dramatic in Edinburgh. While May receives considerable daily sunshine with up to 6.4 hours, December marks the darkest time of the year, where sunshine is scarce with only 1.6 hours of sunlight per day. Visit our detailed sunshine hours page for more information.Monthly hours of sunshine
Daily hours of sunshine
Daily percentage of sunshine
Average water temperature
The mean water temperature over the year ranges from 5°C in March to 13°C in July.
Water temperature over the year
Average humidity
The city experiences its highest humidity in January, reaching 84%. In April, the humidity drops to its lowest level at 75%. What does this mean? Read our detailed page on humidity levels for further details.
Relative humidity over the year
Average wind speed
The mean wind speed varies between 4 m/s and 5 m/s throughout the year. It is lowest in February, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November and highest during January, March and December.
The mean monthly wind speed over the year (meters per second)
almost clear and no rain broken clouds and no rain overcast and no rainForecast for Edinburgh
6 m/s
5 m/s
7 m/s
Select a Month of Interest
Check the conditions for any month of the year.
The best time of year to visit Edinburgh in Scotland
Other facts from our historical weather data:July has an average maximum temperature of 19°C and is the warmest month of the year.
The coldest month is December with an average maximum temperature of 8°C.
October tops the wettest month list with 90 mm of rainfall.
April is the driest month with 66 mm of precipitation.
May is the sunniest month with an average of 193 hours of sunshine.
No idea where to travel to this year? We have a tool that recommends destinations based on your ideal conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.
