Edinburgh Sunshine Hours by Month

When exploring climate, sunlight hours tell an important story. This page shows the total number of hours of direct sunlight per month and the average hours per day in Edinburgh, Lothian, United Kingdom. Long-term data from 1990 to 2020 was used to calculate these averages.

Monthly hours of sunshine

Those who love seasonal contrasts will appreciate Edinburgh. Expect long, bright days with 193 hours in May and darker periods with just 48 hours in December. The total annual amount of sun is 1428 hours.

Daily hours of sunshine

In Edinburgh, summer days are longer and more sunny, with daily sunshine hours peaking at 6.4 hours in May. As the darker season arrives, the brightness of the sun becomes less. December sees a soft sun for only 1.6 hours per day.

Average percent of sunshine

On average the sun shines 37% of the time during the day in June, the highest percentage of any month. October has the lowest percentage at 17%.

Edinburgh enjoys an average of 1428 hours of sunshine annually. Let’s compare this with some popular tourist destinations:

The city of Rome, Italy, experiences 2470 hours of sunshine annually, adding to its charm as a year-round tourist destination.

In contrast, Juneau, Alaska, receives only about 1523 hours of sunshine per year and is known for its very short days in winter and frequently overcast conditions.

Toronto, Canada, sees around 2071 hours of sunshine each year, with especially long, bright summer days.

Perth, Australia, enjoys 3180 hours of sunshine annually, the highest among major Australian cities.

October, Edinburgh’s wettest month, receives 83 mm (3.3 in) of rainfall and has a maximum daytime temperature of 13°C (55°F). During the driest month April you can expect a temperature of 12°C (54°F).

For more detailed insights into the city’s temperatures, check out our Temperature page. To explore more about precipitation patterns, visit our Edinburgh Precipitation page.