AI-generatedKirkwall at a glance
- Best time
- May – Jun
- Warmest month
- Aug · 14°
- Warmest sea
- Aug · 12.9°
- Sunshine a year
- 1,210 h
- Rain a year
- 1,034 mm
- Climate
- Maritime
- Time zone
- UTC+0 / UTC+1
- Elevation
- 3 m
Climate in Kirkwall
Kirkwall has a maritime climate with moderate summers and cool, often grey winters. August is the warmest month with average highs of 14 °C, while February is the coolest at 7 °C. With around 1,210 hours of sunshine a year, Kirkwall is rather dull; May is the sunniest month with 6.2 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Poor
Best time to visit: May – June
Keep in mindFrequent rain
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 10°
- Midday, 13:00: about 11°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 11°
- Evening, 20:00: about 10°
- Night, 23:00: about 10°
07:4618:09
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 07:21–08:43 · evening 17:12–18:34
- Blue hour
- Morning 07:06–07:21 · evening 18:34–18:49
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 Kirkwall in October?
In October, Kirkwall is cool: daytime highs average 11 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °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 21 days, adding up to 130 mm. It is often windy, with gusts of around 45 km/h. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkwall.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 10 h 22 min07:46 – 18:09
- UV index
- 1 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 45 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 76 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Snow days
- 0 days1 cm or more of fresh snow
- Time zone
- UTC+1Europe/London
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 35 %0 %
- Seaweight 25 %0 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %0 %
- Few rainy daysweight 20 %0 %
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
- Windproof jacket
Sea temperature in Kirkwall
Monthly sea surface temperature with the range of cooler and warmer years.
8 in 10 years: 11.4 – 12.6 °C
Swimming season: Never above 20 °C
- cold
- fresh
- refreshing
- pleasant
- warm
- very warm
The sea temperature in Kirkwall ranges from 7.2 °C in March to 12.9 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
From October to March 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 12.2 and 13.5 °C.
| Month | Average | Cool year | Warm year | Feels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 8.0° | 7.5° | 8.6° | cold |
| FebruaryFeb | 7.3° | 6.8° | 7.8° | cold |
| MarchMar | 7.2° | 6.7° | 7.8° | cold |
| AprilApr | 7.6° | 7.1° | 8.2° | cold |
| MayMay | 8.8° | 8.1° | 9.3° | cold |
| JuneJun | 10.3° | 9.7° | 10.9° | cold |
| JulyJul | 12.0° | 11.1° | 12.7° | cold |
| AugustAug | 12.9° | 12.2° | 13.5° | cold |
| SeptemberSep | 12.9° | 12.2° | 13.5° | cold |
| OctoberOct | 12.0° | 11.4° | 12.6° | cold |
| NovemberNov | 10.5° | 10.0° | 11.1° | cold |
| DecemberDec | 9.1° | 8.4° | 9.7° | cold |
Sunshine hours in Kirkwall
Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.
In October, the sun shines for about 2.5 of 10.4 hours of daylight in Kirkwall, 24 % of the day.
Sunshine hours: measured at the weather station 5 km away, averages 1991–2020 (WMO climate normals). Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
UV index in Kirkwall
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
- over 2 h
- 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 in Kirkwall: 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.
In October, Kirkwall has about 21 rainy days with 130 mm of rain in total.
Wind and clouds in Kirkwall
How breezy and how cloudy Kirkwall 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.
In October, the wind in Kirkwall typically peaks at 45 km/h during the day: Beaufort 6, strong wind.
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 gets there all year.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 76 % of the sky over Kirkwall: mostly cloudy, with about 2.5 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.
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Kirkwall
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 9°. A duvet at night and a jumper for the evening.
The coolest nights are in February (5°), the warmest in August (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.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sea | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 0 | 7° | 5° | 8.0° | 1.1 h | 21 | 110 |
| FebruaryFeb | 1 | 7° | 5° | 7.3° | 2.3 h | 17 | 93 |
| MarchMar | 4 | 7° | 5° | 7.2° | 3.3 h | 16 | 78 |
| AprilApr | 13 | 8° | 6° | 7.6° | 4.8 h | 13 | 55 |
| MayMay | 20 | 10° | 8° | 8.8° | 6.2 h | 11 | 50 |
| JuneJun | 16 | 12° | 10° | 10.3° | 4.8 h | 11 | 54 |
| JulyJul | 14 | 13° | 12° | 12.0° | 4.5 h | 12 | 57 |
| AugustAug | 10 | 14° | 12° | 12.9° | 4.3 h | 14 | 74 |
| SeptemberSep | 5 | 13° | 11° | 12.9° | 3.6 h | 16 | 89 |
| OctoberOct | 0 | 11° | 9° | 12.0° | 2.5 h | 21 | 130 |
| NovemberNov | 0 | 9° | 7° | 10.5° | 1.5 h | 22 | 127 |
| DecemberDec | 0 | 8° | 6° | 9.1° | 0.8 h | 20 | 118 |
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
58.98° N, 2.96° W · 3 m · Europe/London
Best time to visit Kirkwall
The best time to visit Kirkwall is from May to June. The sea stays too cool for a classic beach holiday: even in August it only reaches 12.9 °C. Rain is most frequent from August to April; the wettest month is October with 130 mm.
Kirkwall through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Kirkwall in spring
Mar – May
Poor
- 7–10 °C by day
- Sea 8 °C
- 5 h of sun a day
- 40 rainy days in all
Kirkwall in summer
Jun – Aug
Poor
- 12–14 °C by day
- Sea 12 °C
- 5 h of sun a day
- 37 rainy days in all
Kirkwall in autumn
Sep – Nov
Poor
- 9–13 °C by day
- Sea 12 °C
- 3 h of sun a day
- 58 rainy days in all
Kirkwall in winter
Dec – Feb
Poor
- 7–8 °C by day
- Sea 8 °C
- 1 h of sun a day
- 58 rainy days in all
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Kirkwall for you.
Your best months: May – July
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Compare two months in Kirkwall
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
May has the better holiday weather in Kirkwall: score 20 against 0. In May, days are 1 °C cooler than in October. The sea is 3 °C cooler in May. May has 10 fewer rainy days. The sun shines 4 hours longer a day in May.
| Month | October | May |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 0 | 20better |
| Day high | 11° | 10° |
| Night low | 9° | 8° |
| Sea | 12.0° | 8.8° |
| Sunshine | 2.5 h | 6.2 hbetter |
| Rainy days | 21 | 11better |
| Rainfall | 130 mm | 50 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
No month
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Rainy months
Aug – Apr
12 or more rainy days
Kirkwall month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
0January7° · Sea 8° · 1 h
In January, Kirkwall is cold: daytime highs average 7 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. The sea averages 8.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 1 hours a day. It rains often – on about 21 days, adding up to 110 mm. It is often windy, with gusts of around 49 km/h. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkwall.
Kirkwall in January1February7° · Sea 7° · 2 h
In February, Kirkwall is cold: daytime highs average 7 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. The sea averages 7.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. It rains often – on about 17 days, adding up to 93 mm. It is often windy, with gusts of around 48 km/h. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkwall.
Kirkwall in February4March7° · Sea 7° · 3 h
In March, Kirkwall is cold: daytime highs average 7 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. The sea averages 7.2 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. It rains often – on about 16 days, adding up to 78 mm. It is often windy, with gusts of around 44 km/h. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkwall.
Kirkwall in March13April8° · Sea 8° · 5 h
In April, Kirkwall is cold: daytime highs average 8 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °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 13 rainy days and 55 mm in total. It is often windy, with gusts of around 38 km/h. All in all, April is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkwall.
Kirkwall in April20May10° · Sea 9° · 6 h
In May, Kirkwall is cold: daytime highs average 10 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sea averages 8.8 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 50 mm in total. It is often windy, with gusts of around 34 km/h. All in all, May is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkwall.
Kirkwall in May16June12° · Sea 10° · 5 h
In June, Kirkwall is cool: daytime highs average 12 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. The sea averages 10.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 54 mm in total. It is often windy, with gusts of around 33 km/h. All in all, June is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkwall.
Kirkwall in June14July13° · Sea 12° · 5 h
In July, Kirkwall is cool: daytime highs average 13 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sea averages 12.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 57 mm in total. It is often windy, with gusts of around 30 km/h. All in all, July is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkwall.
Kirkwall in July10August14° · Sea 13° · 4 h
In August, Kirkwall is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sea averages 12.9 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 4 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 14 rainy days and 74 mm in total. It is often windy, with gusts of around 33 km/h. All in all, August is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkwall.
Kirkwall in August5September13° · Sea 13° · 4 h
In September, Kirkwall is cool: daytime highs average 13 °C, and nights cool down to about 11 °C. The sea averages 12.9 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 4 hours a day. It rains often – on about 16 days, adding up to 89 mm. It is often windy, with gusts of around 39 km/h. All in all, September is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkwall.
Kirkwall in September0October11° · Sea 12° · 3 h
In October, Kirkwall is cool: daytime highs average 11 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °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 21 days, adding up to 130 mm. It is often windy, with gusts of around 45 km/h. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkwall.
Kirkwall in October0November9° · Sea 11° · 2 h
In November, Kirkwall is cold: daytime highs average 9 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. The sea averages 10.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. It rains often – on about 22 days, adding up to 127 mm. It is often windy, with gusts of around 47 km/h. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkwall.
Kirkwall in November0December8° · Sea 9° · 1 h
In December, Kirkwall is cold: daytime highs average 8 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. The sea averages 9.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 1 hours a day. It rains often – on about 20 days, adding up to 118 mm. It is often windy, with gusts of around 48 km/h. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Kirkwall.
Kirkwall in DecemberKirkwall compared
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Kirkwall vs. Lerwick
In October the holiday weather in Kirkwall and Lerwick is about equally good (score 0 vs. 0). During the day it is about as warm in Lerwick as in Kirkwall. The sea in Lerwick is 1 °C cooler. Lerwick gets one hour less sunshine a day.
| in October | Kirkwall | Lerwick |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday score | 0 | 0 |
| Daytime high | 11° | 11° |
| Sea | 12° | 11° |
| Sunshine | 3 h | 2 h |
| Rainy days | 21 | 20 |
| Best time | May – Jun | May – Jun |
Through the year
United Kingdom in October: the best places
In October, Kirkwall ranks 25 among the 31 nearest destinations in this country.
- York14°42
- 2Sunderland13°12°38
- 3Durham13°37
- 4Newcastle upon Tyne13°35
- 5Belfast13°14°31
- 6Portadown12°30
- 7Edinburgh12°12°29
- 8Carlisle12°29
- 25KirkwallThis page11°12°0
Planning a trip to Kirkwall
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Kirkwall 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.
Kirkwall has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 19) and its weakest during October half-term (score 0).
- 10
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Poor
- 8 °C by day
- Sea 7 °C
- 4.4 h of sun a day
- 14 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 19
May half-term
May – Jun
PoorBest holidays
- 10 °C by day
- Sea 9 °C
- 5.9 h of sun a day
- 11 rainy days a month
- 11
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
Poor
- 14 °C by day
- Sea 13 °C
- 4.4 h of sun a day
- 13 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 0
October half-term
Oct
Poor
- 11 °C by day
- Sea 12 °C
- 2.5 h of sun a day
- 21 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 0
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Poor
- 8 °C by day
- Sea 9 °C
- 1.0 h of sun a day
- 20 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 30 min
- Distance
- 850 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 Kirkwall
When is the best time to visit Kirkwall?
The best time to visit Kirkwall is from May to June. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
How warm is the sea in Kirkwall?
The sea temperature in Kirkwall ranges from 7.2 °C in March to 12.9 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
Can you swim in Kirkwall 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 Kirkwall?
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 14 °C and nights around 12 °C. February is the coolest month at 7 °C.
When does it rain most in Kirkwall?
Rain is most frequent from August to April; the wettest month is October with 130 mm. The driest month is May with 50 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Kirkwall get?
Kirkwall gets around 1,210 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is May with 6.2 hours a day; in December there are 0.8 hours a day.
What time zone is Kirkwall in?
Kirkwall uses the time zone Europe/London: UTC+0 in January and UTC+1 in July.
How long is the flight from London to Kirkwall?
A nonstop flight from London to Kirkwall takes about 1 h 30 min, for a straight-line distance of about 850 km.
Which school holidays are best for Kirkwall?
Kirkwall has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 19) and its weakest during October half-term (score 0). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 10, May half-term 19, Summer holidays 11, October half-term 0, Christmas holidays 0.
Near Kirkwall
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Kirkwall
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Kirkwall's – good alternatives.