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Dunfermline

Sun, sea & sand

Dunfermline at a glance

Best time
Apr – Sep
Warmest month
Jul · 18°
Warmest sea
Aug · 14.5°
Sunshine a year
1,320 h
Rain a year
865 mm
Climate
Maritime
Time zone
UTC+0 / UTC+1
Elevation
107 m

Climate in Dunfermline

Dunfermline has a maritime climate with moderate summers and cool, often grey winters. July is the warmest month with average highs of 18 °C, while January is the coolest at 6 °C. With around 1,320 hours of sunshine a year, Dunfermline is rather dull; May is the sunniest month with 5.7 hours a day.

Holiday weather through the year

Your holiday weather, at a glance

Weather in October

5

Holiday weather in October

Poor

Best time to visit: April – September

Keep in mindFrequent rain

A typical day in October

  1. Morning, 08:00: about 7°
  2. Midday, 13:00: about 11°
  3. Afternoon, 16:00: about 12°
  4. Evening, 20:00: about 10°
  5. Night, 23:00: about 9°

07:4318:16

Cold evenings: bring a warm jacket.

Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.

Light for photos in October

Golden hour
Morning 07:20–08:35 · evening 17:24–18:39
Blue hour
Morning 07:05–07:20 · evening 18:39–18:54

Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.

What is the weather like in Dunfermline in October?

In October, Dunfermline is cool: daytime highs average 12 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. The sea averages 12.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. It rains often – on about 15 days, adding up to 91 mm. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunfermline.

More details for October

Daylight
10 h 33 min07:43 – 18:16
UV index
1 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
Muggy days
0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
Wind
22 km/haverage daily peakAll months
Cloud cover
74 %on averageAll months
Hot days
0 days30 °C or more
Snow days
0 days1 cm or more of fresh snowAll months
Time zone
UTC+1Europe/London

How the score comes together

  • Temperatureweight 35 %0 %
  • Seaweight 25 %0 %
  • Sunshineweight 20 %0 %
  • Few rainy daysweight 20 %25 %

Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.

What to pack in October

  • A jumper for the evenings
  • Rain jacket or umbrella
Swimming calendar

Sea temperature in Dunfermline

Monthly sea surface temperature with the range of cooler and warmer years.

Sea in October12.0°Ccold

8 in 10 years: 11.4 – 12.6 °C

Swimming season: Never above 20 °C

  • cold
  • fresh
  • refreshing
  • pleasant
  • warm
  • very warm
OctoberMean sea temperature 12.0°8 in 10 years 11.4° – 12.6°
20°
Mean sea temperature8 in 10 years20 °C – comfortable for swimming

The sea temperature in Dunfermline ranges from 6.1 °C in February to 14.5 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.

The sea warms up slowly: it is warmest in August, while the air already peaks in July. From October to January the sea is even warmer than the afternoon air. The sea temperature varies from year to year: in August, eight out of ten years were between 13.8 and 15.0 °C.

Sea temperature by month
MonthAverageCool yearWarm yearFeels
JanuaryJan6.8°6.3°7.4°cold
FebruaryFeb6.1°5.4°6.7°cold
MarchMar6.3°5.4°6.9°cold
AprilApr7.6°6.7°8.3°cold
MayMay9.8°9.1°10.6°cold
JuneJun12.2°11.1°13.2°cold
JulyJul14.0°13.0°15.2°cold
AugustAug14.5°13.8°15.0°cold
SeptemberSep13.6°12.9°14.4°cold
OctoberOct12.0°11.4°12.6°cold
NovemberNov10.1°9.5°10.8°cold
DecemberDec8.2°7.7°8.8°cold
Sunshine

Sunshine hours in Dunfermline

Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.

Per year
1,320 hours
Sunniest month
May · 5.7 h a day
Least sunshine
Dec · 1.5 h a day
OctoberSunshine 2.8 hDaylight 10.6 hShare of daylight 26 %
SunshineDaylight

In October, the sun shines for about 2.8 of 10.6 hours of daylight in Dunfermline, 26 % of the day.

Sunshine hours: estimated from radiation data (ERA5, 1996–2025) and calibrated against measured station values; no weather station is close enough here. Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.

Sun protection

UV index in Dunfermline

How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.

Clear-sky UV in October
1 · lowLittle protection needed; sunglasses on bright days.

The sun is strongest in June (UV 6).

Minutes until sunburn in October

Very fair skin
about 100 min
Fair skin
over 2 h
Light brown skin
over 2 h
Olive skin
over 2 h

Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen it, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.

Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.

Rain

Rain in Dunfermline: rainy days and rainfall

A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.

Per year
865 mm on 162 days
Wettest month
Oct · 91 mm
Driest month
Apr · 54 mm
OctoberRainy days 15Rainfall 91 mm

In October, Dunfermline has about 15 rainy days with 91 mm of rain in total.

Wind & clouds

Wind and clouds in Dunfermline

How breezy and how cloudy Dunfermline is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.

Wind

Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.

Year average
21 km/h · moderate breeze
Windiest month
Feb · 24 km/h
Calmest month
Jul · 18 km/h
OctoberWind 22 km/hBeaufort 4
20
WindBeaufort 4

In October, the wind in Dunfermline typically peaks at 22 km/h during the day: Beaufort 4, moderate breeze.

Breezy months for windsurfing and kiting

From Beaufort 4 (20 km/h) the daily breeze is usually enough for windsurfing and often for kiting: Sep – May.

Clouds

Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.

Year average
74 % · mostly cloudy
Clearest month
May · 70 %
Cloudiest month
Jun · 76 %
OctoberCloud cover 74 %Sunshine 2.8 h

In October, cloud covers on average 74 % of the sky over Dunfermline: mostly cloudy, with about 2.8 hours of sunshine a day.

Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.

Snow

Snow in Dunfermline

Snow is possible in Dunfermline, but no month makes it likely: the chance of seeing snow during a week's stay, the days with fresh snow and how much falls. Tap a month to select it.

Snow days a year
7 days
Fresh snow a year
26 cm
Snow possible
Jan – Feb

Snow calendar

  • hardly any
  • possible
  • likely
  • very likely
OctoberDays with fresh snow 0Fresh snow 0 cmChance of snow 0 / 100

In October, it hardly ever snows in Dunfermline.

Snow days bring at least 1 cm of fresh snow. Fresh snow comes from ERA5 snowfall (1996–2025) at the height of the place, not on the slopes above it; the snow chance also weighs whether the snow settles. An estimate from climate averages, not a snow report.

Climate through the year

Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.

Best time to visit

Nights and sleep in Dunfermline

How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.

  • Cold 0–8°
  • Cool 8–15°

ColdOctober: nights around 7°. The room should be heated.

The coolest nights are in January (1°), the warmest in July (11°). Nights fall below 8 °C on average from October to May, so the room should be heated.

Temperatures through the year

Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.

OctoberDay 12°Night 7°Sea 12°
DayNightSea
MonthScoreDayNightSeaSunRain daysRain mm
JanuaryJan66°1°6.8°1.7 h1478
FebruaryFeb76°2°6.1°2.7 h1370
MarchMar98°2°6.3°3.5 h1363
AprilApr1410°4°7.6°4.8 h1254
MayMay1513°6°9.8°5.7 h1463
JuneJun1416°9°12.2°5.1 h1367
JulyJul1118°11°14.0°4.9 h1575
AugustAug1117°11°14.5°4.6 h1479
SeptemberSep1215°10°13.6°3.9 h1262
OctoberOct512°7°12.0°2.8 h1591
NovemberNov58°4°10.1°2.2 h1478
DecemberDec56°2°8.2°1.5 h1486

Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences

56.07° N, 3.46° W · 107 m · Europe/London

Best time to visit

Best time to visit Dunfermline

The best time to visit Dunfermline is from April to September. The sea stays too cool for a classic beach holiday: even in August it only reaches 14.5 °C. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, conditions are most comfortable in September. Rain is most frequent from October to August; the wettest month is October with 91 mm.

Dunfermline through the seasons

How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.

Dunfermline in spring

Mar – May

13

Poor

  • 8–13 °C by day
  • Sea 8 °C
  • 5 h of sun a day
  • 38 rainy days in all

Dunfermline in summer

Jun – Aug

12

Poor

  • 16–18 °C by day
  • Sea 14 °C
  • 5 h of sun a day
  • 42 rainy days in all

Dunfermline in autumn

Sep – Nov

7

Poor

  • 8–15 °C by day
  • Sea 12 °C
  • 3 h of sun a day
  • 40 rainy days in all

Dunfermline in winter

Dec – Feb

6

Poor

  • 6 °C by day
  • Sea 7 °C
  • 2 h of sun a day
  • 41 rainy days in all

Find your perfect month

Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Dunfermline for you.

Swimming in the sea
Sunshine
Little rain

Your best months: April – June

Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.

Compare two months in Dunfermline

Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.

vs.

May has the better holiday weather in Dunfermline: score 15 against 5. In May, days are 1 °C warmer than in October. The sea is 2 °C cooler in May. May has one rainy day fewer. The sun shines 3 hours longer a day in May.

October vs. May, Dunfermline
MonthOctoberMay
Weather score515better
Day high12°13°
Night low7°6°
Sea12.0°9.8°
Sunshine2.8 h5.7 hbetter
Rainy days1514better
Rainfall91 mm63 mmbetter

Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.

Which month for what?

Beach & swimming

No month

Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry

Sightseeing & hiking

Sep

15–28 °C and not too much rain

Rainy months

Oct – Aug

12 or more rainy days

Dunfermline month by month

The typical weather for every month at a glance.

6January6° · Sea 7° · 2 h

In January, Dunfermline is cold: daytime highs average 6 °C, and nights cool down to about 1 °C. The sea averages 6.8 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. It rains often – on about 14 days, adding up to 78 mm. Snow falls on about 2 days. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunfermline.

Dunfermline in January
7February6° · Sea 6° · 3 h

In February, Dunfermline is cold: daytime highs average 6 °C, and nights cool down to about 2 °C. The sea averages 6.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 70 mm in total. Snow falls on about 2 days. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunfermline.

Dunfermline in February
9March8° · Sea 6° · 4 h

In March, Dunfermline is cold: daytime highs average 8 °C, and nights cool down to about 2 °C. The sea averages 6.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 4 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 63 mm in total. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunfermline.

Dunfermline in March
14April10° · Sea 8° · 5 h

In April, Dunfermline is cool: daytime highs average 10 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. The sea averages 7.6 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 54 mm in total. All in all, April is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunfermline.

Dunfermline in April
15May13° · Sea 10° · 6 h

In May, Dunfermline is cool: daytime highs average 13 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. The sea averages 9.8 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 14 rainy days and 63 mm in total. All in all, May is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunfermline.

Dunfermline in May
14June16° · Sea 12° · 5 h

In June, Dunfermline is cool: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. The sea averages 12.2 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 67 mm in total. All in all, June is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunfermline.

Dunfermline in June
11July18° · Sea 14° · 5 h

In July, Dunfermline is mild: daytime highs average 18 °C, and nights cool down to about 11 °C. The sea averages 14.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 15 days, adding up to 75 mm. All in all, July is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunfermline.

Dunfermline in July
11August17° · Sea 15° · 5 h

In August, Dunfermline is mild: daytime highs average 17 °C, and nights cool down to about 11 °C. The sea averages 14.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 14 days, adding up to 79 mm. All in all, August is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunfermline.

Dunfermline in August
12September15° · Sea 14° · 4 h

In September, Dunfermline is cool: daytime highs average 15 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. The sea averages 13.6 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 4 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 62 mm in total. All in all, September is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunfermline.

Dunfermline in September
5October12° · Sea 12° · 3 h

In October, Dunfermline is cool: daytime highs average 12 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. The sea averages 12.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. It rains often – on about 15 days, adding up to 91 mm. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunfermline.

Dunfermline in October
5November8° · Sea 10° · 2 h

In November, Dunfermline is cold: daytime highs average 8 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. The sea averages 10.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. It rains often – on about 14 days, adding up to 78 mm. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunfermline.

Dunfermline in November
5December6° · Sea 8° · 2 h

In December, Dunfermline is cold: daytime highs average 6 °C, and nights cool down to about 2 °C. The sea averages 8.2 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. It rains often – on about 14 days, adding up to 86 mm. Snow falls on about 2 days. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunfermline.

Dunfermline in December
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Dunfermline compared

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Dunfermline vs. Edinburgh

In October the holiday weather in Dunfermline and Edinburgh is about equally good (score 5 vs. 6). During the day it is about as warm in Edinburgh as in Dunfermline. The sea is about equally warm.

Dunfermline vs. Edinburgh, in October
in OctoberDunfermlineEdinburgh
Holiday score56
Daytime high12°12°
Sea12°12°
Sunshine3 h3 h
Rainy days1514
Best timeApr – SepJul – Aug

Through the year

OctoberDunfermline 12°Edinburgh 12°
DunfermlineEdinburgh
Go to Edinburgh
Ranking

United Kingdom in October: the best places

In October, Dunfermline ranks 23 among the 31 nearest destinations in this country.

  1. York14°42
  2. 2Sunderland13°12°38
  3. 3Durham13°37
  4. 4Bradford13°36
  5. 5Newcastle upon Tyne13°35
  6. 6Belfast13°14°31
  7. 7Portadown12°30
  8. 8Edinburgh12°12°29
  9. 23DunfermlineThis page12°12°5
All destinations: United Kingdom

Planning a trip to Dunfermline

Weather for your travel dates

Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.

Dunfermline in the school holidays

How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.

Dunfermline has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 15) and its weakest during October half-term (score 5).

  • Easter holidays

    Mar – Apr

    12

    Poor

    • 10 °C by day
    • Sea 7 °C
    • 4.4 h of sun a day
    • 12 rainy days a month

    Keep in mind: Frequent rain

  • May half-term

    May – Jun

    15

    PoorBest holidays

    • 14 °C by day
    • Sea 10 °C
    • 5.6 h of sun a day
    • 14 rainy days a month

    Keep in mind: Frequent rain

  • Summer holidays

    Jul – Aug

    11

    Poor

    • 17 °C by day
    • Sea 14 °C
    • 4.7 h of sun a day
    • 14 rainy days a month

    Keep in mind: Frequent rain

  • October half-term

    Oct

    5

    Poor

    • 12 °C by day
    • Sea 12 °C
    • 2.8 h of sun a day
    • 15 rainy days a month

    Keep in mind: Frequent rain

  • Christmas holidays

    Dec – Jan

    6

    Poor

    • 6 °C by day
    • Sea 8 °C
    • 1.6 h of sun a day
    • 14 rainy days a month

    Keep in mind: Frequent rain

Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.

Getting there

Flying from

Nonstop flight
about 1 h 10 min
Distance
550 km
Time zone
UTC+1
Jet lag
Hardly any (under 3 h)

Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.

Frequently asked questions about Dunfermline

When is the best time to visit Dunfermline?

The best time to visit Dunfermline is from April to September. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.

How warm is the sea in Dunfermline?

The sea temperature in Dunfermline ranges from 6.1 °C in February to 14.5 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.

Can you swim in Dunfermline in October?

Only if you don't mind cold water: in October the sea averages just 12.0 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.

What is the warmest month in Dunfermline?

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 18 °C and nights around 11 °C. January is the coolest month at 6 °C.

When does it rain most in Dunfermline?

Rain is most frequent from October to August; the wettest month is October with 91 mm. The driest month is April with 54 mm.

How many hours of sunshine does Dunfermline get?

Dunfermline gets around 1,320 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is May with 5.7 hours a day; in December there are 1.5 hours a day.

What time zone is Dunfermline in?

Dunfermline uses the time zone Europe/London: UTC+0 in January and UTC+1 in July.

How long is the flight from London to Dunfermline?

A nonstop flight from London to Dunfermline takes about 1 h 10 min, for a straight-line distance of about 550 km.

Which school holidays are best for Dunfermline?

Dunfermline has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 15) and its weakest during October half-term (score 5). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 12, May half-term 15, Summer holidays 11, October half-term 5, Christmas holidays 6.

Near Dunfermline

Other destinations close by.

Places with a climate like Dunfermline

Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Dunfermline's – good alternatives.

  1. 91% similar6InvernessUnited Kingdom11°12°Best time: Apr – Jul, Sep
  2. 83% similar38SunderlandUnited Kingdom13°12°Best time: Jun – Sep
  3. 82% similar8HowthIreland13°14°Best time: Apr – Jun, Aug – Sep
  4. 82% similar8MiddlesbroughUnited Kingdom13°12°Best time: Apr – Sep