Kirkwall weather in May
Temperature, sea and sunshine in May: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in May
Poor
Best time to visit: May – June
What is the weather like in Kirkwall in May?
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.
May compared
How the weather changes from April to June. Tap a month to open it.
More details for May
- Daylight
- 16 h 50 min04:43 – 21:33
- UV index
- 5 · moderateclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 34 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 68 %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 %53 %
- Few rainy daysweight 20 %48 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.
What to pack in May
- Sunscreen
- Warm jacket
- Rain jacket or umbrella
- Windproof jacket
Kirkwall in May: quick answers
Is Kirkwall hot in May?
No. In May, Kirkwall is cold: daytime highs average 10 °C and nights drop to about 8 °C.
Can you swim in Kirkwall in May?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in May the sea averages just 8.8 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.
Does it rain much in Kirkwall in May?
Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 50 mm in total.
Kirkwall month by month
The whole year in KirkwallAll destinations: United KingdomWhere to go in MaySea temperature in May
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