Best time to visit Edinburgh: month-by-month weather (2026)
The highest-scoring months in Edinburgh are Jun and Aug.
Best months
Jun and Aug
Peak season
Jun, Jul and Aug
Off season
Mar, Nov and Dec
Monthly Temperatures (°C)
Monthly Rainfall (mm)
Month-by-Month Guide
Temperature, rainfall and sunshine are measured. The visit score below is derived from those three (design spec §5.3)estimate.
Jan
Temp: 2.3°C – 6.4°C
Rain: 73mm
Sunshine: 3.9h/day
Visit score: 3/10
Feb
Temp: 3.7°C – 8.3°C
Rain: 53mm
Sunshine: 4.1h/day
Visit score: 3.1/10
Mar
Temp: 3.5°C – 9.3°C
Rain: 82mm
Sunshine: 6.5h/day
Visit score: 2.8/10
Apr
Temp: 5°C – 11.5°C
Rain: 75mm
Sunshine: 8.8h/day
Visit score: 5.6/10
May
Temp: 8.5°C – 15.4°C
Rain: 89mm
Sunshine: 11h/day
Visit score: 4.7/10
Jun
BestTemp: 10.5°C – 17.6°C
Rain: 65mm
Sunshine: 12.2h/day
Visit score: 7.6/10
Jul
Temp: 12.1°C – 18.5°C
Rain: 108mm
Sunshine: 10.4h/day
Visit score: 6.7/10
Aug
BestTemp: 12.5°C – 18.8°C
Rain: 71mm
Sunshine: 10.7h/day
Visit score: 7.6/10
Sep
Temp: 10.1°C – 16.1°C
Rain: 82mm
Sunshine: 7.8h/day
Visit score: 4.6/10
Oct
Temp: 8.2°C – 12.9°C
Rain: 123mm
Sunshine: 5.1h/day
Visit score: 3.9/10
Nov
Temp: 4.7°C – 9.1°C
Rain: 99mm
Sunshine: 4.1h/day
Visit score: 2.2/10
Dec
Temp: 4.3°C – 8.3°C
Rain: 119mm
Sunshine: 2.3h/day
Visit score: 1.8/10
When to go, and when not to
June and August stand out as the best months to visit based on the local visit scores. June brings an average high of 17.6C, a low of 10.5C, and 12.2 hours of sunshine a day, while August is slightly warmer with a high of 18.8C and 10.7 hours of sunshine, and both months see comparatively moderate rainfall of 65mm and 71mm.
The trade-off is that June through August is also the peak season, so travelers should expect this to be the busiest stretch of the year. Outside these months, rainfall climbs noticeably, with October at 123mm and December at 119mm, and daylight shrinks sharply by December to just 2.3 hours of sunshine a day, making the off-season months of March, November, and December quieter but colder and wetter.
Season Guide
Spring
March – May
Mild temperatures and blooming gardens. A great time for sightseeing with fewer crowds than summer.
Packing tips
- · Light layers
- · Rain jacket
- · Comfortable walking shoes
Summer
June – August
Warmest months with the longest days. Peak tourist season in most destinations.
Packing tips
- · Sunscreen
- · Hat
- · Light clothing
- · Refillable water bottle
Autumn
September – November
Cooling temperatures and autumn foliage. Shoulder season with good deals on accommodations.
Packing tips
- · Medium layers
- · Sweater
- · Waterproof jacket
Winter
December – February
Coldest months with shorter days. Holiday markets and winter activities in many cities.
Packing tips
- · Warm coat
- · Scarf and gloves
- · Thermal layers
- · Waterproof boots
Keep reading
Sources
- GeoNames city database — CC BY 4.0, fetched September 14, 2026
- Open-Meteo climate archive — CC BY 4.0, fetched September 21, 2026
AI-written interpretation reviewed against the data above — claude-sonnet-5, generated September 21, 2026. Every number on this page comes from a dataset named here; the formulas are public.