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Isle of Bute weather & best time to visit

Nature escape

Isle of Bute at a glance

Best time
Jun – Jul
Warmest month
Jul · 19°
Warmest sea
Aug · 15.2°
Sunshine a year
1,370 h
Rain a year
1,478 mm
Climate
Maritime
Time zone
UTC+0 / UTC+1
Elevation
8 m

Climate in Isle of Bute

Isle of Bute has a maritime climate with moderate summers and cool, often grey winters. July is the warmest month with average highs of 19 °C, while January is the coolest at 8 °C. With around 1,370 hours of sunshine a year, Isle of Bute is rather dull; May is the sunniest month with 6.5 hours a day.

Holiday weather through the year

Best time to visit

Best time to visit Isle of Bute

The best time to visit Isle of Bute is from June to July. The sea stays too cool for a classic beach holiday: even in August it only reaches 15.2 °C. The wettest month is October with 171 mm of precipitation.

Isle of Bute through the seasons

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

Isle of Bute in spring

Mar – May

39

Poor

  • 10–15 °C by day
  • Sea 9 °C
  • 5.1 h of sun a day
  • 43 rainy days in all

Isle of Bute in summer

Jun – Aug

61

Good

  • 17–19 °C by day
  • Sea 14 °C
  • 5.3 h of sun a day
  • 49 rainy days in all

Isle of Bute in autumn

Sep – Nov

33

Poor

  • 10–17 °C by day
  • Sea 13 °C
  • 2.9 h of sun a day
  • 54 rainy days in all

Isle of Bute in winter

Dec – Feb

1

Poor

  • 8 °C by day
  • Sea 8 °C
  • 1.8 h of sun a day
  • 55 rainy days in all

Which month for what?

Beach & swimming

No month

Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry

Sightseeing & hiking

No month

15–28 °C and not too much rain

Rainy months

All year

Rainy season or more than 12 rainy days

Find your perfect month

Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Isle of Bute for you.

Swimming in the sea
Sunshine
Little rain

Your best months: June – August

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

Your holiday weather, at a glance

Weather in October

Weather in October

29

Holiday weather in October

Poor

Best time to visit: June – July

Keep in mindFrequent rain

A typical day in October

  1. Morning, 08:00: about 8°
  2. Midday, 13:00: about 13°
  3. Afternoon, 16:00: about 13°
  4. Evening, 20:00: about 11°
  5. Night, 23:00: about 10°

07:4918:23

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 07:26–08:40 · evening 17:31–18:46
Blue hour
Morning 07:11–07:26 · evening 18:46–19:00

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.

October in Isle of Bute compared with home

Home:

Loading the climate at home …

Early or late October?

In October, daytime highs fall from about 15° at the start of the month to 12° at the end. The sea cools from 13° to 12°. The days get 2.2 h shorter.

Early or late October?
October1 Oct31 Oct
Daytime high15°12°
Night-time low9°7°
Sea13°12°
Daylight11.6 h9.4 h

What is the weather like in Isle of Bute in October?

In October, Isle of Bute is cool: daytime highs average 13 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sea averages 12.6 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2.8 hours a day. It rains often – on about 19 days, adding up to 171 mm. It is often windy: on a typical day the wind peaks at around 30 km/h. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Isle of Bute.

More details for October

Daylight
10 h 34 min07:49 – 18:23
UV index
1 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
Muggy days
0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
Wind
30 km/haverage daily peakAll months
Cloud cover
75 %on averageAll months
Hot days
0 days30 °C or more
Snow days
0 days1 cm or more of fresh snow
Time zone
UTC+1offset from UTC

How the score comes together

  • Temperatureweight 50 %59 %
  • Sunshineweight 20 %0 %
  • Few rainy daysweight 30 %0 %

Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Nature escape”.

What to pack in October

  • A jumper for the evenings
  • Rain jacket or umbrella
  • Windproof jacket

Compare two months in Isle of Bute

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

vs

June has the better holiday weather in Isle of Bute: score 65 against 29. In June, days are 4 °C warmer than in October. The sea is about as warm in both months. June has 4 fewer rainy days. The sun shines 3 hours longer a day in June.

October vs June, Isle of Bute
MonthOctoberJune
Holiday weather score2965better
Daytime high13°17°
Night-time low8°10°
Sea12.6°13.0°
Sunshine2.8 h5.6 hbetter
Rainy days1915better
Rainfall171 mm92 mmbetter

Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.

Isle of Bute month by month

The typical weather for every month at a glance.

0January8° · Sea 8° · 1.5 h

In January, Isle of Bute is cold: daytime highs average 8 °C, and nights cool down to about 3 °C. The sea averages 8.2 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 1.5 hours a day. It rains often – on about 19 days, adding up to 152 mm. It is often windy: on a typical day the wind peaks at around 33 km/h. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Isle of Bute.

Isle of Bute in January
2February8° · Sea 8° · 2.5 h

In February, Isle of Bute is cold: daytime highs average 8 °C, and nights cool down to about 3 °C. The sea averages 7.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2.5 hours a day. It rains often – on about 17 days, adding up to 130 mm. It is often windy: on a typical day the wind peaks at around 32 km/h. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Isle of Bute.

Isle of Bute in February
17March10° · Sea 8° · 3.5 h

In March, Isle of Bute is cold: daytime highs average 10 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. The sea averages 7.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3.5 hours a day. It rains often – on about 15 days, adding up to 102 mm. It is often windy: on a typical day the wind peaks at around 29 km/h. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Isle of Bute.

Isle of Bute in March
41April12° · Sea 9° · 5.3 h

In April, Isle of Bute is cool: daytime highs average 12 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. The sea averages 8.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5.3 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 78 mm in total. All in all, April is a so-so month for a holiday in Isle of Bute.

Isle of Bute in April
58May15° · Sea 10° · 6.5 h

In May, Isle of Bute is cool: daytime highs average 15 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sea averages 10.4 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 6.5 hours a day. It rains often – on about 14 days, adding up to 86 mm. All in all, May is a so-so month for a holiday in Isle of Bute.

Isle of Bute in May
65June17° · Sea 13° · 5.6 h

In June, Isle of Bute is mild: daytime highs average 17 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. The sea averages 13.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5.6 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 15 days, adding up to 92 mm. All in all, June is a good month for a holiday in Isle of Bute.

Isle of Bute in June
62July19° · Sea 15° · 5.2 h

In July, Isle of Bute is mild: daytime highs average 19 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sea averages 14.8 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5.2 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 16 days, adding up to 99 mm. All in all, July is a good month for a holiday in Isle of Bute.

Isle of Bute in July
57August18° · Sea 15° · 5.0 h

In August, Isle of Bute is mild: daytime highs average 18 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sea averages 15.2 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5.0 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 18 days, adding up to 125 mm. All in all, August is a so-so month for a holiday in Isle of Bute.

Isle of Bute in August
56September17° · Sea 14° · 3.9 h

In September, Isle of Bute is mild: daytime highs average 17 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. The sea averages 14.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3.9 hours a day. It rains often – on about 16 days, adding up to 118 mm. All in all, September is a so-so month for a holiday in Isle of Bute.

Isle of Bute in September
29October13° · Sea 13° · 2.8 h

In October, Isle of Bute is cool: daytime highs average 13 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sea averages 12.6 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2.8 hours a day. It rains often – on about 19 days, adding up to 171 mm. It is often windy: on a typical day the wind peaks at around 30 km/h. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Isle of Bute.

Isle of Bute in October
13November10° · Sea 11° · 1.9 h

In November, Isle of Bute is cool: daytime highs average 10 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. The sea averages 11.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 1.9 hours a day. It rains often – on about 19 days, adding up to 159 mm. It is often windy: on a typical day the wind peaks at around 31 km/h. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Isle of Bute.

Isle of Bute in November
1December8° · Sea 10° · 1.3 h

In December, Isle of Bute is cold: daytime highs average 8 °C, and nights cool down to about 3 °C. The sea averages 9.6 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 1.3 hours a day. It rains often – on about 19 days, adding up to 167 mm. It is often windy: on a typical day the wind peaks at around 32 km/h. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Isle of Bute.

Isle of Bute in December

Climate in detail

Year & climate table

Climate through the year

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

Best time to visit

Nights and sleep in Isle of Bute

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°

CoolOctober: nights around 8°. A duvet at night and a jumper for the evening.

The coolest nights are in February (3°), the warmest in July (12°). Nights fall below 8 °C on average from November to April, so the room should be heated.

Temperatures through the year

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

OctoberDay 13°Night 8°Sea 13°
DayNightSea
MonthScoreDayNightSeaSunRain daysRain mm
JanuaryJan08°3°8.2°1.5 h19152
FebruaryFeb28°3°7.5°2.5 h17130
MarchMar1710°4°7.5°3.5 h15102
AprilApr4112°5°8.5°5.3 h1378
MayMay5815°8°10.4°6.5 h1486
JuneJun6517°10°13.0°5.6 h1592
JulyJul6219°12°14.8°5.2 h1699
AugustAug5718°12°15.2°5.0 h18125
SeptemberSep5617°10°14.1°3.9 h16118
OctoberOct2913°8°12.6°2.8 h19171
NovemberNov1310°5°11.0°1.9 h19159
DecemberDec18°3°9.6°1.3 h19167

Climate averages 1996–2025 (sunshine partly WMO station normals 1991–2020), 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

55.84° N, 5.06° W · 8 m · Europe/London

Sea temperature
Swimming calendar

Sea temperature in Isle of Bute

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

Sea in October12.6°Ccold

8 in 10 years: 11.9 – 13.0 °C

Swimming season: Always below 20 °C

  • cold
  • fresh
  • refreshing
  • pleasant
  • warm
  • very warm
OctoberMean sea temperature 12.6°8 in 10 years 11.9° – 13.0°
20°
Mean sea temperature8 in 10 years20 °C – comfortable for swimming

The sea temperature in Isle of Bute ranges from 7.5 °C in February to 15.2 °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 November 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 14.5 and 16.0 °C.

Sea temperature by month
MonthAverageCool yearWarm yearFeels
JanuaryJan8.2°7.5°9.0°cold
FebruaryFeb7.5°6.9°8.3°cold
MarchMar7.5°6.7°8.3°cold
AprilApr8.5°7.6°9.3°cold
MayMay10.4°9.3°11.2°cold
JuneJun13.0°11.8°14.2°cold
JulyJul14.8°13.8°15.7°cold
AugustAug15.2°14.5°16.0°cold
SeptemberSep14.1°13.5°14.7°cold
OctoberOct12.6°11.9°13.0°cold
NovemberNov11.0°10.4°11.6°cold
DecemberDec9.6°9.0°10.2°cold
Sunshine
Sunshine

Sunshine hours in Isle of Bute

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

Per year
1,370 hours
Sunniest month
May · 6.5 h a day
Least sunshine
Dec · 1.3 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 Isle of Bute, 26 % of the daylight hours.

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.

Rain
Rain

Rain in Isle of Bute: 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
1,478 mm on 200 days
Wettest month
Oct · 171 mm
Driest month
Apr · 78 mm
OctoberRainy days 19Rainfall 171 mm

In October, Isle of Bute has about 19 rainy days with 171 mm of rain in total.

UV index
Sun protection

UV index in Isle of Bute

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 the time, 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.

Wind & clouds
Wind & clouds

Wind and clouds in Isle of Bute

How breezy and how cloudy Isle of Bute 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
28 km/h · moderate breeze
Windiest month
Jan · 33 km/h
Calmest month
Jul · 23 km/h
OctoberWind 30 km/hBeaufort 5
20
WindBeaufort 4

In October, the wind in Isle of Bute typically peaks at 30 km/h during the day: Beaufort 5, fresh 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, and here it is that strong all year.

Clouds

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

Year average
73 % · mostly cloudy
Clearest month
May · 67 %
Cloudiest month
Jan · 76 %
OctoberCloud cover 75 %Sunshine 2.8 h

In October, cloud covers on average 75 % of the sky over Isle of Bute: 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.

Planning a trip to Isle of Bute

Weather for your travel dates

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

Isle of Bute 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.

Isle of Bute has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 59) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 1).

  • Easter holidays

    Mar – Apr

    34

    Poor

    • 11 °C by day
    • Sea 8 °C
    • 4.8 h of sun a day
    • 14 rainy days a month

    Keep in mind: Frequent rain

  • May half-term

    May – Jun

    59

    FairBest holidays

    • 15 °C by day
    • Sea 11 °C
    • 6.3 h of sun a day
    • 14 rainy days a month

    Keep in mind: Frequent rain

  • Summer holidays

    Jul – Aug

    59

    Fair

    • 18 °C by day
    • Sea 15 °C
    • 5.1 h of sun a day
    • 17 rainy days a month

    Keep in mind: Frequent rain

  • October half-term

    Oct

    29

    Poor

    • 13 °C by day
    • Sea 13 °C
    • 2.8 h of sun a day
    • 19 rainy days a month

    Keep in mind: Frequent rain

  • Christmas holidays

    Dec – Jan

    1

    Poor

    • 8 °C by day
    • Sea 9 °C
    • 1.4 h of sun a day
    • 19 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
570 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.

Good to know: United Kingdom

Currency
British Pound (GBP)
Language
English
Sockets
Type G · 230 V
Traffic
Drives on the left
Dialling code
+44
Emergency number
999 · 112

UK plugs fit

Sources: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0). Please check details before you travel.

Compare & alternatives

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Isle of Bute compared

Put Isle of Bute side by side with another destination.

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Isle of Bute vs Greenock

In October the holiday weather in Isle of Bute and Greenock is about equally good (score 29 vs 28). During the day it is about as warm in Greenock as in Isle of Bute. The sea is about equally warm.

Isle of Bute vs Greenock, in October
in OctoberIsle of ButeGreenock
Holiday weather score2928
Daytime high13°13°
Sea13°13°
Sunshine3 h3 h
Rainy days1919
Best timeJun – JulJun – Jul

Through the year

OctoberIsle of Bute 13°Greenock 13°
Isle of ButeGreenock
Go to Greenock
Best places in the country
Ranking

United Kingdom in October: the best places

In October, Isle of Bute ranks 20 among the 31 nearest destinations in this country.

  1. Berwick-upon-Tweed14°12°41
  2. 2Bamburgh14°12°41
  3. 3St Andrews13°12°40
  4. 4Portadown14°37
  5. 5Nairn13°12°37
  6. 6Perth13°12°36
  7. 7Kirkcaldy13°12°36
  8. 8Carlisle14°36
  9. 20Isle of ButeThis page13°13°29
All destinations: United Kingdom
Places nearby

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Other destinations close by.

Places with a similar climate

Places with a climate like Isle of Bute

Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Isle of Bute's – good alternatives.

  1. 89 % similar29DerryUnited Kingdom13°13°Best time: Jun
  2. 89 % similar32BuncranaIreland13°13°Best time: Jun
  3. 86 % similar28LetterkennyIreland14°13°Best time: Jun – Aug
  4. 86 % similar33BallinaIreland14°14°Best time: May – Jun

Frequently asked questions about Isle of Bute

When is the best time to visit Isle of Bute?

The best time to visit Isle of Bute is from June to July. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.

How warm is the sea in Isle of Bute?

The sea temperature in Isle of Bute ranges from 7.5 °C in February to 15.2 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.

Can you swim in Isle of Bute in October?

Only if you don't mind cold water: in October the sea averages just 12.6 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.

What is the warmest month in Isle of Bute?

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 19 °C and nights around 12 °C. January is the coolest month at 8 °C.

When does it rain most in Isle of Bute?

The wettest month is October with 171 mm of precipitation. The driest month is April with 78 mm.

How many hours of sunshine does Isle of Bute get?

Isle of Bute gets around 1,370 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is May with 6.5 hours a day; in December there are 1.3 hours a day.

What time zone is Isle of Bute in?

Isle of Bute is on UTC+0 in January and UTC+1 in July.

How long is the flight from London to Isle of Bute?

A nonstop flight from London to Isle of Bute takes about 1 h 10 min, for a straight-line distance of about 570 km.

Which school holidays are best for Isle of Bute?

Isle of Bute has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 59) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 1). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 34, May half-term 59, summer holidays 59, October half-term 29, Christmas holidays 1.