Orkney weather in January (Orkney Islands, United Kingdom)

How does the weather in Orkney usually fare in January? Find all the essential weather information for this month in our guide.

Temperatures

The month of January in Orkney typically brings low temperatures and high rainfall. The daytime often sees temperatures reaching 9°C, but nighttime brings a cool-down to 5°C.

Precipitation

Orkney in January usually receives high rainfall, averaging around 128 mm for the month. When we look at the climate data from the last 30 years, you can expect around 24 days of rain.

Average sunshine

With limited sunshine this month, there are about 33 hours of sun. It's ideal for those who prefer a cooler, cloudier climate.

If you're looking for dry conditions and comfortable temperatures, January may not be the ideal month to visit Orkney. July and August typically offer the most agreeable circumstances. On the other hand, January, February, March, April, October, November and December tend to be characterized by conditions that may not be as optimal.

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

 

Orkney, monthly averages in January

Min Temperature 5°C  

Max Temperature 9°C  

Chance of Rain 81%  

Precipitation 128 mm  

Rainy days 24 days  

Sunshine 33 hours *  

Percentage Sunshine *  

* Data from: Kirkwall, the United Kingdom (16 KM, 10 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

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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 this month?

Wear a base layer in cold weather; this is the #1 thing you can do to increase your overall body temperature.

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

3/10

Outdoor sports

4/10

Interested in more climate information?

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

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.