Average Monthly Sunshine in Kirkwall
The graphs on this page shows the average number of hours per month and per day that Kirkwall receives direct sunlight. The numbers are calculated over a 30-year period to provide a reliable average.
Monthly hours of sunshine
Seasonal sunshine in Kirkwall varies. It peaks at 192 hours in May and drops to 26 hours in December. The total annual amount of sun is 1181 hours.
Daily hours of sunshine
In Kirkwall, 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 0.9 hours per day.
Kirkwall’s total hours of sunshine compared to other major cities
Kirkwall enjoys an average of 1181 hours of sunshine annually. Let’s compare this with some popular tourist destinations:
In Lisbon, Portugal, there are approximately 2801 hours of sunshine annually, highlighting its warm and sunny Mediterranean climate.
Manchester, UK, experiences just around 1420 hours of sunshine annually.
Beijing, China, has 2505 hours of sunshine annually, with clear, sunny days in winter.
Perth, Australia, enjoys 3180 hours of sunshine annually, the highest among major Australian cities.
Other climate information
November, Kirkwall’s wettest month, receives 80 mm of rainfall and has a maximum daytime temperature of 11°C. During the driest month May you can expect a temperature of 10°C.
For more detailed insights into the city’s temperatures, check out our Temperature page. To explore more about precipitation patterns, visit our Kirkwall Precipitation page.
Forecast: is it sunny in Kirkwall?
overcast and no rain
overcast and rain
overcast and slight rain