Inverness Monthly Rainfall & Precipitation
This page shows both the average monthly rainfall and the number of rainy days in Inverness, Highlands, United Kingdom. Long-term data from 1990 to 2020 was used to calculate these averages. Let's explore the details to provide you with a complete overview.
Inverness has a relatively rain/snowy climate with high precipitation levels, averaging 1037 mm (41 in) of rain/snowfall annually.
Monthly Precipitation Levels
The average number of days each month with precipitation (> 0.2 mm (0.01 in))
Year-round, Inverness has a balanced climate with minimal variation in precipitation. The difference between the wettest month, January, with 99 mm (3.9 in), and the driest month, April, with 76 mm (3 in), is minimal.
January, the wettest month, has a maximum daytime temperature of 7°C (45°F). The city receives 40 hours of sunshine in this period. During the driest month April you can expect a temperature of 12°C (54°F). For more detailed insights into the city's temperatures, visit our Inverness Temperature page.
Daily Historical Precipitation
50-year average (1976-2025)
Average daily rainfall for each day of the month based on long-term records.
Average precipitation in July
Explore Inverness's Historical Precipitation: 1976-2026
Browse day-by-day precipitation records for Inverness spanning 51 years. Select any month and year to see actual rainfall and snowfall recorded on each day.
Annual Rainfall in the United Kingdom: City Comparison
The map below shows the annual precipitation across the United Kingdom. You can also select the different months in case you are interested in a specific month.
heavy rainfall
high
moderate
low
almost none
Inverness vs World: Rainfall Compared
Inverness's average annual precipitation is 1037 mm (41 in). Let's compare this to some popular worldwide tourist destinations:
The climate in San Francisco, USA, is influenced by coastal weather, with 469 mm (18 in) of rainfall mostly during the winter months.
Osaka, Japan, experiences 1507 mm (59 in) of rainfall annually, spread across the year with wetter summers.
Melbourne, Australia, has 690 mm (27 in) of rainfall annually, spread fairly evenly throughout the year.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, receives 2529 mm (100 in) of annual rainfall, characteristic of its equatorial tropical rainforest climate, with consistent rainfall throughout the year and peak months during March and November.
Precipitation amounts are measured using specific gauges installed at weather stations, collecting both rain and snow and any other type of precipitation. Rainfall is measured directly in millimeters, while that from snow and ice is obtained by melting it. Automated systems often incorporate heaters to make this easier.
Information from these stations is transmitted via Wi-Fi, satellite, GPS, or telephone connections to central monitoring networks. This information is immediately updated and integrated into weather models and forecasts.
Tropical Rainforests: In tropical regions, rainfall is generally abundant year-round. Areas near the equator, like the Amazon rainforest, can receive up to 3000 mm (118 in) of rain annually.
Desert Regions: Deserts such as the Sahara and Arabian deserts typically see less than 250 mm (9.8 in) of rainfall annually. Rainfall tends to be infrequent, but when it does occur, it is often intense.
Temperate Zones: In temperate regions, precipitation tends to be more evenly distributed, though areas closer to the ocean may see more rain in the winter months, and areas further inland experience drier summers.
Polar Regions: Precipitation in polar regions, like Antarctica, is extremely low, often falling as snow. Average annual precipitation in Antarctica is less than 200 mm (7.9 in), with some areas receiving as little as 50 mm (2 in) annually.
- "Ginger" was the longest-lasting Atlantic tropical storm, which spun around the open ocean for 28 days in 1971.
- The world's largest snowflake was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records, at 38 cm (15 inches) wide and 20 cm (7.9 inches) thick. The snowflake fell at Fort Keogh, Montana, USA, on 28 January 1887.
- The greatest snowfall recorded was on Mt. Rainier, Washington State, USA—over 31.5 meters (103 feet) fell during the winter of 1972.
For more detailed information about Inverness's weather, including sunshine hours, humidity levels, and temperature data, visit our Inverness Climate page.
