Edinburgh weather in January (Lothian, United Kingdom)

Thinking of visiting Edinburgh in January? Check the weather first! Explore our page to find a thorough overview of this month's weather conditions.

Temperatures

In January, the weather in Edinburgh generally includes low temperatures and moderate rainfall. January is part of winter. Anticipate daytime highs near 8°C, and cooler nights with temperatures around 2°C. With temperatures often at their lowest, this month is coldest of the year. Ideal for indoor activities, be sure to pack warm clothing.

Precipitation

Edinburgh in January usually receives moderate rainfall, averaging around 84 mm for the month. On average, there are about 18 days with rain during this month.

Average sunshine

The area sees fewer sunny days, with a projection of about 54 hours of sunshine. This reduced sunlight makes it ideal for those who prefer cooler, overcast conditions over bright sunny days.

If you're looking for dry conditions and comfortable temperatures, January may not be the ideal month to visit Edinburgh. July and August typically offer the best circumstances. While January, February, March, November and December tend to showcase less optimal conditions.

For an in-depth look at the yearly conditions, visit our specialized Edinburgh climate page with graphs.

 

Edinburgh, monthly averages in January

Min Temperature 2°C  

Max Temperature 8°C  

Water Temperature 6°C *  

Chance of Rain 61%  

Precipitation 84 mm  

Rainy days 18 days  

Humidity 84% *  

Windspeed 18 km/h *  

Sunshine 54 hours *  

Percentage Sunshine 22% *  

Data from: Edinburgh, Scotland (9 KM, 5 Miles).

Where to go in the United Kingdom in January

Find out more about the weather in the United Kingdom and which places have the best travel conditions in this month.

Weather conditions Weather

Temperatures

Precipitation

Map not visible? Whoops sorry! Please refresh the page.

Legend perfect weather pleasant tolerable unpleasant poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C and 29°C and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm a month).

So, what should you wear in this month?

Wear a base layer in cold weather; this is the #1 thing you can do to increase your overall body temperature. With a water temperature of around 6°C there is no need to bring your swimwear.

What To Do

We rated the following activities from 1 (least suitable) to 10 (best) to do.

Swimming

4/10

Cycling

4/10

Walking

4/10

Camping

4/10

Outdoor sports

4/10

Interested in more climate information?

This site provides you with all the information you need about the climate in Edinburgh.

Our site offers climate and forecast data for every country in the world. Are you going to the United Kingdom? On this website you can find historical weather averages for many cities in the United Kingdom. Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.