Climate Insights for Kirkwall

The climate in Kirkwall is cool. The average annual temperature is 9°C and approximately 1067mm of precipitation falls per year. Kirkwall receives a notable amount of rainfall throughout the year, including during its driest month. Kirkwall is in the Northern Hemisphere. Summer begins at the end of June and lasts through September. The summer months are: August, September, July. The coldest months are February, January, March, when temperatures can drop to 5°C. Light snow can occur between January and December.

Kirkwall has relatively stable temperatures year-round, staying within a 9°C range. August is the warmest month, though highs remain moderate at 14°C with a mean of 13°C. February is the coolest month, with minimum temperatures around 5°C and an average of 6°C. Daily temperature variation is modest, with an average difference of 2°C between highs and lows. The sharpest temperature change occurs between October and November, with a 2°C shift in average temperatures.

Kirkwall is a moderately rainy area, receiving approximately 1067mm of precipitation annually, which averages out to around 89mm per month. The wettest month is November, averaging 124mm of rainfall. October and December also tend to see above-average precipitation. The driest month is April, with just 49mm. That's 75mm less than November, the wettest month. Precipitation varies noticeably between seasons, with the second half (July to December) of the year generally seeing more rainfall. Light snowfall can occur between January and December, totalling around 9cm annually. January is the snowiest month with approximately 3cm.

Kirkwall is very windy, with an average annual wind speed of 41km/h. For context, sustained winds below 12km/h are generally light, while anything above 25km/h is considered strong. The windiest month is January, averaging 51km/h, which can feel quite blustery and may affect outdoor activities. The calmest conditions occur in July, with average winds dropping to 31km/h, making it an ideal period for wind-sensitive activities. There is moderate seasonal variation in wind speed, with a 20km/h gap between the calmest and windiest months. Wind tends to be stronger during winter months, driven by seasonal pressure systems. The seasonal averages break down to 49km/h in winter, 38km/h in spring, 32km/h in summer, 43km/h in autumn.

It is currently spring in Kirkwall, which began on March 20, 2026. Kirkwall is in the Northern Hemisphere, where spring begins in March, summer in June, autumn in September, and winter in December. The warmest period peaks in August at around 14°C, while the coldest stretch bottoms out in February near 5°C. Summer is next, beginning on June 21, 2026 — 87 days from now.

The table below shows monthly climate averages for Kirkwall based on historical weather data. Min and max temperatures represent typical overnight lows and afternoon highs for each month, shown in degrees Celsius (°C). Precipitation is measured in millimetres (mm) and indicates the average total rainfall per month. Snow is measured in centimetres (cm) and reflects average monthly snowfall accumulation. Wind speed is the average sustained speed in kilometres per hour (km/h). All values are based on averages from over 10 years of historical weather data. The current month is highlighted for quick reference.