Edinburgh, United Kingdom Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Edinburgh
Expect mild temperatures year-round with regular rainfall in Edinburgh: that is what an oceanic climate means in practice. Highs peak at 65°F (18°C) in July and fall to 44°F (6°C) by January, with 7.2 hours of sun on an average day.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: July - highs near 65°F (18°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 44°F (6°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 84°F (29°C) high · 20°F (-7°C) low
- Wettest month: December (16 rainy days) · Sunniest: June (10.8 h sun/day)
- Climate type: oceanic
- Annual swing: 11°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 5°C
- Snow: about 7 days a year
- Average humidity: 81%
Temperatures through the year
June is the brightest month at 10.8 hours of sun a day, against an annual average of 7.2 - duller than all but 3% of the 3496 cities in our dataset. January sits at the other end of the year: 44°F (6°C) by day, 36°F (2°C) at night. Warmth peaks in July: highs of 65°F (18°C), lows of 54°F (12°C). The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 84°F (29°C) and bottoms at 20°F (-7°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records. Snow falls on roughly 7 days a year, mostly December through April.
Rain, sun and snow
Precipitation concentrates in December - 3.9 inches (99 mm) on 16 days - and thins out by April. Relative humidity averages 81% across the year, more humid than roughly 88% of the cities we track.
How Edinburgh compares
- Afternoons run 5°C above the following night - a flatter daily curve than all but 5% of the 3496 cities we track.
- Edinburgh averages 49°F (9°C) across the year - cooler than all but 7% of the 3496 cities we track.
- 29% of the year's precipitation falls in its wettest three months - more evenly spread than all but 9% of the 3496 cities we track.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44° | 36° | 14 | 3.1 in | 3.7 h/day | 7.6 h | 44% | 84% |
| February | 45° | 37° | 13 | 2.9 in | 5.4 h/day | 9.5 h | 47% | 81% |
| March | 47° | 37° | 16 | 3.0 in | 6.7 h/day | 11.6 h | 50% | 80% |
| April | 51° | 39° | 12 | 2.1 in | 9.4 h/day | 14.1 h | 39% | 76% |
| May | 57° | 45° | 13 | 2.8 in | 10.2 h/day | 16.3 h | 42% | 78% |
| June | 62° | 50° | 14 | 3.0 in | 10.8 h/day | 17.6 h | 47% | 78% |
| July | 65° | 54° | 17 | 3.5 in | 10.2 h/day | 17.0 h | 54% | 78% |
| August | 64° | 54° | 15 | 3.2 in | 9.6 h/day | 15.1 h | 48% | 79% |
| September | 61° | 50° | 13 | 2.9 in | 7.8 h/day | 12.6 h | 42% | 80% |
| October | 55° | 46° | 15 | 3.8 in | 5.3 h/day | 10.3 h | 48% | 82% |
| November | 48° | 40° | 14 | 3.1 in | 4.3 h/day | 8.1 h | 47% | 85% |
| December | 45° | 38° | 16 | 3.9 in | 2.6 h/day | 7.0 h | 51% | 86% |
Edinburgh month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Edinburgh's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 3.7 h
- Daylight
- 7.6 h
- Snow
- 1 day
February
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 5.4 h
- Daylight
- 9.5 h
- Snow
- 2 days
March
- Rain
- 16 days
- Sunshine
- 6.7 h
- Daylight
- 11.6 h
- Snow
- 1 day
April
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 9.4 h
- Daylight
- 14.1 h
May
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 10.2 h
- Daylight
- 16.3 h
June
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 10.8 h
- Daylight
- 17.6 h
July
- Rain
- 17 days
- Sunshine
- 10.2 h
- Daylight
- 17.0 h
August
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sunshine
- 9.6 h
- Daylight
- 15.1 h
September
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 7.8 h
- Daylight
- 12.6 h
October
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sunshine
- 5.3 h
- Daylight
- 10.3 h
November
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 4.3 h
- Daylight
- 8.1 h
December
- Rain
- 16 days
- Sunshine
- 2.6 h
- Daylight
- 7.0 h
- Snow
- 1 day
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Edinburgh
Spring (March through May)
Spring is chilly here - highs near 52°F (11°C), nights near 41°F (5°C), and rain falls on around 40 of the 90 days, plus about 2 snowy days.
Summer (June through August)
Summer runs cool rather than cold here - highs near 64°F (18°C), nights near 53°F (11°C), and rain falls on around 46 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 10.2 hours of sun a day.
Fall (September through November)
Through fall, Edinburgh stays on the cool side of mild: 55°F (13°C) by day, 46°F (8°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 42 of the 90 days.
Winter (December through February)
Through winter, Edinburgh is chilly: 45°F (7°C) by day, 37°F (3°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 43 of the 90 days, plus about 4 snowy days.
Climate questions, answered
How humid does Edinburgh get?
How does Edinburgh compare to other cities?
How sunny is Edinburgh?
Is Edinburgh cold in winter?
How warm is Edinburgh on average?
What should I pack for Edinburgh?
Best time to visit Edinburgh
August to September and April is the sweet spot for Edinburgh - warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up. Expect 60°F (15°C) in the afternoon and around 13 days of rain in a typical month of it. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in August.
Pack for Edinburgh with a warm jacket and layers for the cooler season and proper waterproofs rather than an umbrella - wet days are the norm here. Even in July, lows of 54°F (12°C) make an extra layer worth the space.
Edinburgh temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.