Edinburgh Weather & Climate: Best Time to Visit
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 (66°F). During the winter, it is around 3°C (37°F). 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.
Monthly Temperature in Edinburgh
In Edinburgh, temperatures differ significantly between summer and winter months. Average maximum daytime temperatures range from a pleasant 19°C (66°F) in July, the warmest time of the year, to a chilly 8°C (46°F) during cooler months like December.
At night, you can expect temperatures ranging from 12°C (54°F) in July to around 2°C (36°F) during December.
Check out our detailed temperature page for more information.
Temperature ranges by month
Rainfall in Edinburgh
On average, Edinburgh receives a reasonable amount of rain/snowfall, with an annual precipitation of 950 mm (37 in). Year-round, Edinburgh has a balanced climate with minimal variation in precipitation. The difference between the wettest month, October, with 90 mm (3.5 in), and the driest month, April, with 66 mm (2.6 in), is minimal. For more details, please visit our Edinburgh Precipitation page.
The mean monthly precipitation over the year, including rain, hail, and snow
The average number of days each month with precipitation
Sunshine Hours in Edinburgh
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
Water Temperature in Edinburgh
The mean water temperature over the year ranges from 5°C (41°F) in March to 13°C (55°F) in July.
Water temperature over the year
Humidity in Edinburgh by Month
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
Wind Speed in Edinburgh
The mean wind speed varies between 4 m/s (8 knots) and 5 m/s (10 knots) throughout the year. It is lowest in February, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November and highest during January, March and December. What does this mean?
The mean monthly wind speed over the year (meters per second)
Edinburgh 3-Day Forecast
Check the conditions for any month of the year.
