Edinburgh: month by month

What to expect

• Days average 7.3°C at the warmest and nights 1.7°C at the coolest.
• About 65 mm of rain falls over roughly 12 days with 1 mm or more.
• Expect about 55 hours of sunshine in the month and 7 h 34 of daylight in the middle of the month.
• This is the coolest month on average.

Planning

• Short days (about 7 h 34 of daylight): plan outdoor sights for the middle of the day and keep evenings for museums, food and shows.
• Averaging about 55 hours of sunshine in the month, so keep an indoor back-up for each day (see our rainy-day guide).

What to pack

• A warm coat, hat and gloves, with thermal or wool layers underneath.
• Shoes with a good grip for cold mornings.
• A proper waterproof jacket and shoes that cope with wet sidewalks: this is one of the wetter months here (12 days with 1 mm or more).
• Comfortable walking shoes: most sights are best reached on foot.

What to expect

• Days average 8.0°C at the warmest and nights 1.7°C at the coolest.
• About 53 mm of rain falls over roughly 10 days with 1 mm or more.
• Expect about 82 hours of sunshine in the month and 9 h 25 of daylight in the middle of the month.

Planning

• About 9 h 25 of daylight: enough for a full day out, but check sunset if you plan a viewpoint or a long walk.

What to pack

• A warm coat, hat and gloves, with thermal or wool layers underneath.
• Shoes with a good grip for cold mornings.
• A light waterproof or a compact umbrella: about 10 days a month see 1 mm or more.
• Comfortable walking shoes: most sights are best reached on foot.

What to expect

• Days average 9.7°C at the warmest and nights 2.9°C at the coolest.
• About 48 mm of rain falls over roughly 10 days with 1 mm or more.
• Expect about 117 hours of sunshine in the month and 11 h 48 of daylight in the middle of the month.

Planning

• About 11 h 48 of daylight: enough for a full day out, but check sunset if you plan a viewpoint or a long walk.

What to pack

• A warm coat, hat and gloves, with thermal or wool layers underneath.
• Shoes with a good grip for cold mornings.
• A light waterproof or a compact umbrella: about 10 days a month see 1 mm or more.
• Comfortable walking shoes: most sights are best reached on foot.

What to expect

• Days average 12.2°C at the warmest and nights 4.7°C at the coolest.
• About 41 mm of rain falls over roughly 9 days with 1 mm or more, the driest month of the year here.
• Expect about 157 hours of sunshine in the month and 14 h 11 of daylight in the middle of the month.

Planning

• About 14 h 11 of daylight: enough for a full day out, but check sunset if you plan a viewpoint or a long walk.

What to pack

• A warm jacket and a sweater or fleece you can take off indoors.
• A packable waterproof, just in case: a drier month on average, but showers still happen.
• Comfortable walking shoes: most sights are best reached on foot.

What to expect

• Days average 14.9°C at the warmest and nights 7.1°C at the coolest.
• About 48 mm of rain falls over roughly 10 days with 1 mm or more.
• Expect about 195 hours of sunshine in the month, the sunniest of the year and 16 h 24 of daylight in the middle of the month.

Planning

• Long days (about 16 h 24 of daylight): there is time for an early start and a late walk.

What to pack

• A warm jacket and a sweater or fleece you can take off indoors.
• A light waterproof or a compact umbrella: about 10 days a month see 1 mm or more.
• Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat for long days outdoors.
• Comfortable walking shoes: most sights are best reached on foot.

What to expect

• Days average 17.4°C at the warmest and nights 9.9°C at the coolest.
• About 66 mm of rain falls over roughly 10 days with 1 mm or more.
• Expect about 162 hours of sunshine in the month and 17 h 35 of daylight in the middle of the month.

Planning

• Long days (about 17 h 35 of daylight): there is time for an early start and a late walk.

What to pack

• Light layers: a sweater or fleece over a T-shirt, and a light jacket for the evening.
• A light waterproof or a compact umbrella: about 10 days a month see 1 mm or more.
• Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat for long days outdoors.
• Comfortable walking shoes: most sights are best reached on foot.

What to expect

• Days average 19.3°C at the warmest and nights 11.6°C at the coolest.
• About 72 mm of rain falls over roughly 12 days with 1 mm or more.
• Expect about 170 hours of sunshine in the month and 16 h 56 of daylight in the middle of the month.
• This is the warmest month on average.

Planning

• Long days (about 16 h 56 of daylight): there is time for an early start and a late walk.

What to pack

• Light layers: a sweater or fleece over a T-shirt, and a light jacket for the evening.
• A light waterproof or a compact umbrella: about 12 days a month see 1 mm or more.
• Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat for long days outdoors.
• Comfortable walking shoes: most sights are best reached on foot.

What to expect

• Days average 19.1°C at the warmest and nights 11.5°C at the coolest.
• About 72 mm of rain falls over roughly 10 days with 1 mm or more.
• Expect about 160 hours of sunshine in the month and 14 h 59 of daylight in the middle of the month.

Planning

• About 14 h 59 of daylight: enough for a full day out, but check sunset if you plan a viewpoint or a long walk.

What to pack

• Light layers: a sweater or fleece over a T-shirt, and a light jacket for the evening.
• A light waterproof or a compact umbrella: about 10 days a month see 1 mm or more.
• Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat for long days outdoors.
• Comfortable walking shoes: most sights are best reached on foot.

What to expect

• Days average 16.9°C at the warmest and nights 9.7°C at the coolest.
• About 55 mm of rain falls over roughly 10 days with 1 mm or more.
• Expect about 130 hours of sunshine in the month and 12 h 33 of daylight in the middle of the month.

Planning

• About 12 h 33 of daylight: enough for a full day out, but check sunset if you plan a viewpoint or a long walk.

What to pack

• Light layers: a sweater or fleece over a T-shirt, and a light jacket for the evening.
• A light waterproof or a compact umbrella: about 10 days a month see 1 mm or more.
• Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat for long days outdoors.
• Comfortable walking shoes: most sights are best reached on foot.

What to expect

• Days average 13.4°C at the warmest and nights 6.7°C at the coolest.
• About 76 mm of rain falls over roughly 12 days with 1 mm or more, the wettest month of the year here.
• Expect about 99 hours of sunshine in the month and 10 h 12 of daylight in the middle of the month.

Planning

• About 10 h 12 of daylight: enough for a full day out, but check sunset if you plan a viewpoint or a long walk.

What to pack

• A warm jacket and a sweater or fleece you can take off indoors.
• A light waterproof or a compact umbrella: about 12 days a month see 1 mm or more.
• Comfortable walking shoes: most sights are best reached on foot.

What to expect

• Days average 9.9°C at the warmest and nights 3.8°C at the coolest.
• About 65 mm of rain falls over roughly 12 days with 1 mm or more.
• Expect about 72 hours of sunshine in the month and 8 h 07 of daylight in the middle of the month.

Planning

• Short days (about 8 h 07 of daylight): plan outdoor sights for the middle of the day and keep evenings for museums, food and shows.
• Averaging about 72 hours of sunshine in the month, so keep an indoor back-up for each day (see our rainy-day guide).

What to pack

• A warm coat, hat and gloves, with thermal or wool layers underneath.
• A light waterproof or a compact umbrella: about 12 days a month see 1 mm or more.
• Comfortable walking shoes: most sights are best reached on foot.

What to expect

• Days average 7.3°C at the warmest and nights 1.6°C at the coolest.
• About 67 mm of rain falls over roughly 12 days with 1 mm or more.
• Expect about 49 hours of sunshine in the month and 6 h 59 of daylight in the middle of the month.

Planning

• Short days (about 6 h 59 of daylight): plan outdoor sights for the middle of the day and keep evenings for museums, food and shows.
• Averaging about 49 hours of sunshine in the month, so keep an indoor back-up for each day (see our rainy-day guide).

What to pack

• A warm coat, hat and gloves, with thermal or wool layers underneath.
• Shoes with a good grip for cold mornings.
• A proper waterproof jacket and shoes that cope with wet sidewalks: this is one of the wetter months here (12 days with 1 mm or more).
• Comfortable walking shoes: most sights are best reached on foot.