Scotland climate

World Climates covers 5 places in Scotland. By annual mean temperature, the warmest is Stornoway (10 °C49 °F) and the coolest is Dundee (8 °C47 °F). The wettest is Glasgow with 1,380 mm54 in of precipitation per year, the driest Edinburgh with 889 mm35 in.

The most common climate types (Köppen classification computed from these averages) are temperate oceanic (Cfb, 5 places).

The highest monthly average high is in Glasgow (18 °C65 °F in July); the lowest monthly average low is in Dundee (1 °C34 °F in February).

Across the places in Scotland, the months that most often rank as the most comfortable are June, July and September (3, 4 and 4 of 5 places respectively).

Temperature and rainfall across Scotland

Annual mean temperatures in Scotland range from 8 °C47 °F to 10 °C49 °F. The typical place (the median of all 5) has a year average of 9 °C48 °F. Annual precipitation ranges from 889 mm35 in to 1,380 mm54 in. The median place receives about 999 mm39 in in an average year.

In 0 places of 5, the coldest month has an average low below 0 °C (32 °F). In 0 places, the warmest month has an average high above 30 °C (86 °F). No place here gets less than 250 mm (10 in) of precipitation a year. None gets more than 2,000 mm (79 in) a year.

Averaged over all 5 places, July is the warmest month, with a mean of 14 °C58 °F. February is the coldest, with 4 °C40 °F. The wettest month on average is October (119 mm4.7 in). The driest is April (62 mm2.5 in). Single places can differ a lot from this average, so check the page of each city.

The table below lists the places sorted by population. The largest ones covered here are Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Each city page has a chart and a table for every month. It also shows the best time to visit and what to pack. The figures are 25-year averages for 2001–2025 from NASA POWER. They describe grid cells of roughly 50–70 km, not single weather stations.

Climate of each place in Scotland

Glasgow has a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb). Its year average is 9 °C48 °F. The warmest month is July, with an average high of 18 °C65 °F. The coldest is February, with an average low of 2 °C35 °F. About 1,380 mm54 in of precipitation falls in a year. October is the wettest month and April the driest. By our comfort score, the best months to visit are June and July and September.

Edinburgh has a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb). Its year average is 9 °C48 °F. The warmest month is July, with an average high of 18 °C65 °F. The coldest is February, with an average low of 2 °C35 °F. About 889 mm35 in of precipitation falls in a year. August is the wettest month and April the driest. By our comfort score, the best months to visit are June–September.

Aberdeen has a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb). Its year average is 9 °C49 °F. The warmest month is August, with an average high of 15 °C60 °F. The coldest is February, with an average low of 4 °C40 °F. About 907 mm36 in of precipitation falls in a year. October is the wettest month and May the driest. By our comfort score, the best months to visit are July–September.

Dundee has a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb). Its year average is 8 °C47 °F. The warmest month is July, with an average high of 18 °C64 °F. The coldest is January, with an average low of 1 °C35 °F. About 999 mm39 in of precipitation falls in a year. August is the wettest month and April the driest. By our comfort score, the best months to visit are June–September.

Stornoway has a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb). Its year average is 10 °C49 °F. The warmest month is August, with an average high of 15 °C59 °F. The coldest is February, with an average low of 5 °C41 °F. About 1,375 mm54 in of precipitation falls in a year. December is the wettest month and April the driest. No month fully meets our comfort score here.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the warmest place in Scotland?

By annual mean temperature, the warmest place in Scotland is Stornoway at 10 °C49 °F. The coolest is Dundee at 8 °C47 °F.

Where does it rain the most in Scotland?

Glasgow gets the most precipitation, 1,380 mm54 in in an average year. The driest place is Edinburgh with 889 mm35 in.

How many places in Scotland does this site cover?

World Climates has climate data for 5 places in Scotland. Each one has a page with monthly averages for temperature, rainfall, humidity and daylight.

When is the best time to visit Scotland?

It depends on the place. Across Scotland, the months that most often rank as the most comfortable are June, July and September. Check the page of each city for its own best months.