January in Edinburgh — off-season conditions
Hardest · 4.3/10At 4°C (39°F) this is proper winter weather in January: layer up and split the day between outdoor highlights and indoor stops.
Budget for roughly 54 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 7.3 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 4.3/10 on the same scale — 10th of 12 months, versus 8.7/10 for the best month here.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a packable rain layer.
If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Edinburgh — 4.4 points higher on the same scale.
February in Edinburgh — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 4.5/10Expect 5°C (41°F) in February. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
Budget for roughly 70 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 9.2 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 4.5/10 on the same scale — 9th of 12 months, versus 8.7/10 for the best month here.
Budget for low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Edinburgh — 4.2 points higher on the same scale.
March in Edinburgh — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 4.8/10March averages 5°C (42°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Rainfall runs 74 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 1 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.4 hours of daylight.
It scores 4.8/10 here, 7th of 12 months, against 8.7/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
Flexible dates? June scores 3.9 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
April in Edinburgh — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 5.9/10Expect 7°C (45°F) in April. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
Budget for roughly 78 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 9 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 13.9 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 5.9/10 on the same scale — 6th of 12 months, versus 8.7/10 for the best month here.
Budget for mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Edinburgh — 2.8 points higher on the same scale.
May holds up well in Edinburgh — 4th best month
Good · 7.3/10May averages 11°C (53°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Rainfall runs 71 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 16 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 16 hours of daylight.
It scores 7.3/10 here, 4th of 12 months, against 8.7/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
June in Edinburgh tops the year's climate scores
Best window · 8.7/10Temperatures hover around 13°C (56°F) — the kind of month where neither heat nor cold forces the schedule.
Budget for roughly 49 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 22 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 17.3 hours of daylight to work around it.
On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Edinburgh at 8.7/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.
Expect peak pricing, and crowds are moderate. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.
July in Edinburgh — reliably good (3rd best month)
Good · 7.7/10Temperatures hover around 15°C (58°F) — the kind of month where neither heat nor cold forces the schedule.
Budget for roughly 80 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 16 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 16.8 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 7.7/10 on the same scale — 3rd of 12 months, versus 8.7/10 for the best month here.
Budget for peak pricing, and this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.
August in Edinburgh: strong conditions, 2nd of 12
Good · 7.9/10August averages 15°C (59°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
Rainfall runs 64 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 12 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 14.8 hours of daylight.
It scores 7.9/10 here, 2nd of 12 months, against 8.7/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on peak pricing, with this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.
September in Edinburgh — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 6.6/10September averages 13°C (55°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
Rainfall runs 74 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 4 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 12.4 hours of daylight.
It scores 6.6/10 here, 5th of 12 months, against 8.7/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.
Flexible dates? June scores 2.1 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
October in Edinburgh — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 4.8/10Expect 10°C (50°F) in October. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
106 mm of rain signals a properly wet month, with only almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine to count on — build indoor options into the schedule.
That is 4.8/10 on the same scale — 8th of 12 months, versus 8.7/10 for the best month here.
Budget for low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Edinburgh — 3.9 points higher on the same scale.
November in Edinburgh — off-season conditions
Hardest · 4.1/10Expect 7°C (44°F) in November. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
Budget for roughly 88 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 7.9 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 4.1/10 on the same scale — 11th of 12 months, versus 8.7/10 for the best month here.
Budget for low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Edinburgh — 4.6 points higher on the same scale.
December in Edinburgh — off-season conditions
Hardest · 3.4/10December averages 5°C (40°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Rainfall runs 99 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 6.7 hours of daylight.
It scores 3.4/10 here, 12th of 12 months, against 8.7/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
Flexible dates? June scores 5.3 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
