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The best time to visit Orkney
May, June, July, August and September — daytime highs around 14°C. Every number on this page is measured, not guessed.
Orkney month by month
| Month | Day | Night | Wet days | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7°C | 4°C | 19 | |
| February | 7°C | 3°C | 19 | |
| March | 8°C | 4°C | 17 | |
| April | 9°C | 5°C | 12 | Shoulder |
| May | 12°C | 7°C | 14 | Best |
| June | 14°C | 10°C | 17 | Best |
| July | 15°C | 11°C | 20 | Best |
| August | 16°C | 11°C | 18 | Best |
| September | 14°C | 11°C | 18 | Best |
| October | 12°C | 9°C | 20 | Shoulder |
| November | 9°C | 6°C | 19 | |
| December | 8°C | 5°C | 20 |
The short version
Warmest: August, around 16°C by day. Coolest: January, around 7°C by day and 4°C at night. Wettest: July with about 20 wet days. Driest: April with about 12.
If you want fewer people: April, October sit right beside the best months. The weather is close and the crowds are not.
Book it for those months
Prices climb as the good months fill up.
Common questions
When is the best time to visit Orkney?
The best months are May, June, July, August and September, when daytime highs sit around 14°C.
What is the hottest month in Orkney?
August, with daytime highs around 16°C.
What is the wettest month in Orkney?
July, with about 20 wet days. The driest is April with about 12.
When is the cheapest time to visit Orkney?
Prices follow the weather. The months either side of the best ones — April, October — are usually cheaper with similar conditions.
Temperatures and wet days are measured, not estimated: ERA5 reanalysis for 2021-2023, at Kirkwall, Scotland. Source: Open-Meteo.