Edinburgh weather in January (Lothian, United Kingdom)

What can you expect from the weather in Edinburgh during January? Wondering if it's the right time to visit? Browse this page for a comprehensive overview of the weather conditions for that month.

In January, Edinburgh generally has low temperatures and moderate rainfall. January is a winter month. Throughout the day, temperatures typically settle at around 8°C. But by evening, they drop to around 2°C. Typically, it's the chilliest month of the year. Ensure you're prepared by packing appropriate winter gear.

Edinburgh in January usually receives moderate rainfall, averaging around 84 mm for the month. Typically around 18 days of rainfall is expected.

The city usually sees around 54 hours of sunlight, indicating fewer 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 TemperatureMin Temperature 2°C  
Max TemperatureMax Temperature 8°C  
Water TemperatureWater Temperature 6°C *  
Chance of RainChance of Rain 61%  
PrecipitationPrecipitation 84 mm  
Rainy daysRainy days 18 days  
HumidityHumidity 84% *  
WindspeedWindspeed 18 km/h *  
SunshineSunshine 54 hours *  
Percentage SunshinePercentage 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 in January and which places have the best weather conditions in this month.

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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 Edinburgh in January?

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 in January.

Swimming
4/10
Cycling
4/10
Walking
4/10
Camping
4/10
Outdoor sports
4/10

Interested in more climate information?

Weather and Climate 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 climate conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.