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Scarborough

Sun, sea & sand

Scarborough at a glance

Best time
Apr – Aug
Warmest month
Aug · 18°
Warmest sea
Aug · 15.5°
Sunshine a year
1,710 h
Rain a year
802 mm
Climate
Maritime
Time zone
UTC+0 / UTC+1
Elevation
48 m

Climate in Scarborough

Scarborough has a maritime climate with moderate summers and cool, often grey winters. August is the warmest month with average highs of 18 °C, while January is the coolest at 7 °C. With around 1,710 hours of sunshine a year, Scarborough is moderately sunny; May is the sunniest month with 7.4 hours a day.

Holiday weather through the year

Your holiday weather, at a glance

Weather in October

8

Holiday weather in October

Poor

Best time to visit: April – August

Keep in mindFrequent rain

A typical day in October

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

07:2818:07

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 07:06–08:17 · evening 17:17–18:29
Blue hour
Morning 06:52–07:06 · evening 18:29–18:43

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 Scarborough in October?

In October, Scarborough is cool: daytime highs average 13 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. The sea averages 12.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 4 hours a day. It rains often – on about 14 days, adding up to 80 mm. It is often windy, with gusts of around 30 km/h. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Scarborough.

More details for October

Daylight
10 h 39 min07:28 – 18:07
UV index
2 · 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
70 %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 %10 %
  • Few rainy daysweight 20 %29 %

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
Swimming calendar

Sea temperature in Scarborough

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

Sea in October12.3°Ccold

8 in 10 years: 11.8 – 12.8 °C

Swimming season: Never above 20 °C

  • cold
  • fresh
  • refreshing
  • pleasant
  • warm
  • very warm
OctoberMean sea temperature 12.3°8 in 10 years 11.8° – 12.8°
20°
Mean sea temperature8 in 10 years20 °C – comfortable for swimming

The sea temperature in Scarborough ranges from 6.7 °C in March to 15.5 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.

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 14.7 and 16.3 °C.

Sea temperature by month
MonthAverageCool yearWarm yearFeels
JanuaryJan7.6°7.0°8.3°cold
FebruaryFeb6.8°6.4°7.3°cold
MarchMar6.7°6.1°7.4°cold
AprilApr7.5°6.9°8.2°cold
MayMay9.5°8.8°10.1°cold
JuneJun12.4°11.4°13.5°cold
JulyJul14.8°13.7°15.9°cold
AugustAug15.5°14.7°16.3°cold
SeptemberSep14.1°13.4°15.0°cold
OctoberOct12.3°11.8°12.8°cold
NovemberNov10.6°9.8°11.2°cold
DecemberDec8.9°8.2°9.5°cold
Sunshine

Sunshine hours in Scarborough

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

Per year
1,710 hours
Sunniest month
May · 7.4 h a day
Least sunshine
Dec · 1.8 h a day
OctoberSunshine 3.6 hDaylight 10.7 hShare of daylight 34 %
SunshineDaylight

In October, the sun shines for about 3.6 of 10.7 hours of daylight in Scarborough, 34 % 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 Scarborough

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

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

The sun is strongest in June (UV 7).

Minutes until sunburn in October

Very fair skin
about 85 min
Fair skin
about 110 min
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 Scarborough: 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
802 mm on 151 days
Wettest month
Nov · 84 mm
Driest month
Apr · 52 mm
OctoberRainy days 14Rainfall 80 mm

In October, Scarborough has about 14 rainy days with 80 mm of rain in total.

Wind & clouds

Wind and clouds in Scarborough

How breezy and how cloudy Scarborough 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
Feb · 32 km/h
Calmest month
Jul · 22 km/h
OctoberWind 30 km/hBeaufort 5
20
WindBeaufort 4

In October, the wind in Scarborough 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 gets there all year.

Clouds

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

Year average
68 % · mostly cloudy
Clearest month
May · 65 %
Cloudiest month
Dec · 71 %
OctoberCloud cover 70 %Sunshine 3.6 h

In October, cloud covers on average 70 % of the sky over Scarborough: mostly cloudy, with about 3.6 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.

Best time to visit

Nights and sleep in Scarborough

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 January (3°), the warmest in August (13°). 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 9°Sea 12°
DayNightSea
MonthScoreDayNightSeaSunRain daysRain mm
JanuaryJan67°3°7.6°1.9 h1469
FebruaryFeb87°3°6.8°3.1 h1258
MarchMar139°4°6.7°4.3 h1254
AprilApr2010°5°7.5°6.0 h1152
MayMay2513°8°9.5°7.4 h1154
JuneJun2216°11°12.4°6.8 h1271
JulyJul2118°13°14.8°7.0 h1370
AugustAug2018°13°15.5°6.7 h1371
SeptemberSep1716°12°14.1°5.2 h1163
OctoberOct813°9°12.3°3.6 h1480
NovemberNov510°6°10.6°2.3 h1584
DecemberDec67°4°8.9°1.8 h1477

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

54.28° N, 0.40° W · 48 m · Europe/London

Best time to visit

Best time to visit Scarborough

The best time to visit Scarborough is from April to August. The sea stays too cool for a classic beach holiday: even in August it only reaches 15.5 °C. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, conditions are most comfortable in June and in September. Rain is most frequent from July to August and from October to February; the wettest month is November with 84 mm.

Scarborough through the seasons

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

Scarborough in spring

Mar – May

19

Poor

  • 9–13 °C by day
  • Sea 8 °C
  • 6 h of sun a day
  • 34 rainy days in all

Scarborough in summer

Jun – Aug

21

Poor

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

Scarborough in autumn

Sep – Nov

10

Poor

  • 10–16 °C by day
  • Sea 12 °C
  • 4 h of sun a day
  • 40 rainy days in all

Scarborough in winter

Dec – Feb

7

Poor

  • 7 °C by day
  • Sea 8 °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 Scarborough for you.

Swimming in the sea
Sunshine
Little rain

Your best months: May – July

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

Compare two months in Scarborough

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 Scarborough: score 25 against 8. Daytime highs are about the same. The sea is 3 °C cooler in May. May has 3 fewer rainy days. The sun shines 4 hours longer a day in May.

October vs. May, Scarborough
MonthOctoberMay
Weather score825better
Day high13°13°
Night low9°8°
Sea12.3°9.5°
Sunshine3.6 h7.4 hbetter
Rainy days1411better
Rainfall80 mm54 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

Jun, Sep

15–28 °C and not too much rain

Rainy months

Jul – Aug, Oct – Feb

12 or more rainy days

Scarborough month by month

The typical weather for every month at a glance.

6January7° · Sea 8° · 2 h

In January, Scarborough is cold: daytime highs average 7 °C, and nights cool down to about 3 °C. The sea averages 7.6 °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 69 mm. It is often windy, with gusts of around 32 km/h. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Scarborough.

Scarborough in January
8February7° · Sea 7° · 3 h

In February, Scarborough is cold: daytime highs average 7 °C, and nights cool down to about 3 °C. The sea averages 6.8 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 58 mm in total. It is often windy, with gusts of around 32 km/h. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Scarborough.

Scarborough in February
13March9° · Sea 7° · 4 h

In March, Scarborough is cold: daytime highs average 9 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. The sea averages 6.7 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 4 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 54 mm in total. It is often windy, with gusts of around 29 km/h. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Scarborough.

Scarborough in March
20April10° · Sea 8° · 6 h

In April, Scarborough is cool: daytime highs average 10 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. The sea averages 7.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 52 mm in total. All in all, April is not an ideal month for a holiday in Scarborough.

Scarborough in April
25May13° · Sea 10° · 7 h

In May, Scarborough is cool: daytime highs average 13 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sea averages 9.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 54 mm in total. All in all, May is not an ideal month for a holiday in Scarborough.

Scarborough in May
22June16° · Sea 12° · 7 h

In June, Scarborough is cool: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 11 °C. The sea averages 12.4 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 71 mm in total. All in all, June is not an ideal month for a holiday in Scarborough.

Scarborough in June
21July18° · Sea 15° · 7 h

In July, Scarborough is mild: daytime highs average 18 °C, and nights cool down to about 13 °C. The sea averages 14.8 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 70 mm in total. All in all, July is not an ideal month for a holiday in Scarborough.

Scarborough in July
20August18° · Sea 16° · 7 h

In August, Scarborough is mild: daytime highs average 18 °C, and nights cool down to about 13 °C. The sea averages 15.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 71 mm in total. All in all, August is not an ideal month for a holiday in Scarborough.

Scarborough in August
17September16° · Sea 14° · 5 h

In September, Scarborough is mild: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sea averages 14.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 63 mm in total. All in all, September is not an ideal month for a holiday in Scarborough.

Scarborough in September
8October13° · Sea 12° · 4 h

In October, Scarborough is cool: daytime highs average 13 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. The sea averages 12.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 4 hours a day. It rains often – on about 14 days, adding up to 80 mm. It is often windy, with gusts of around 30 km/h. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Scarborough.

Scarborough in October
5November10° · Sea 11° · 2 h

In November, Scarborough is cold: daytime highs average 10 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. The sea averages 10.6 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. It rains often – on about 15 days, adding up to 84 mm. It is often windy, with gusts of around 31 km/h. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Scarborough.

Scarborough in November
6December7° · Sea 9° · 2 h

In December, Scarborough is cold: daytime highs average 7 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. The sea averages 8.9 °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 77 mm. It is often windy, with gusts of around 32 km/h. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Scarborough.

Scarborough in December
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Scarborough compared

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Scarborough vs. Whitby

In October the holiday weather in Scarborough and Whitby is about equally good (score 8 vs. 8). During the day it is about as warm in Whitby as in Scarborough. The sea is about equally warm.

Scarborough vs. Whitby, in October
in OctoberScarboroughWhitby
Holiday score88
Daytime high13°13°
Sea12°12°
Sunshine4 h4 h
Rainy days1414
Best timeApr – AugApr – Aug

Through the year

OctoberScarborough 13°Whitby 13°
ScarboroughWhitby
Go to Whitby
Ranking

United Kingdom in October: the best places

In October, Scarborough ranks 25 among the 31 nearest destinations in this country.

  1. Peterborough15°49
  2. 2Lincoln14°47
  3. 3Nottingham14°45
  4. 4Leicester14°45
  5. 5Derby14°44
  6. 6Kingston upon Hull14°13°43
  7. 7York14°42
  8. 8Sheffield14°41
  9. 25ScarboroughThis page13°12°8
All destinations: United Kingdom

Planning a trip to Scarborough

Weather for your travel dates

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

Scarborough 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.

Scarborough has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 24) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 6).

  • Easter holidays

    Mar – Apr

    18

    Poor

    • 10 °C by day
    • Sea 7 °C
    • 5.5 h of sun a day
    • 11 rainy days a month
  • May half-term

    May – Jun

    24

    PoorBest holidays

    • 13 °C by day
    • Sea 10 °C
    • 7.3 h of sun a day
    • 11 rainy days a month
  • Summer holidays

    Jul – Aug

    20

    Poor

    • 18 °C by day
    • Sea 15 °C
    • 6.8 h of sun a day
    • 13 rainy days a month

    Keep in mind: Frequent rain

  • October half-term

    Oct

    8

    Poor

    • 13 °C by day
    • Sea 12 °C
    • 3.6 h of sun a day
    • 14 rainy days a month

    Keep in mind: Frequent rain

  • Christmas holidays

    Dec – Jan

    6

    Poor

    • 7 °C by day
    • Sea 8 °C
    • 1.9 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
Short trip – train or car is often quicker
Distance
310 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 Scarborough

When is the best time to visit Scarborough?

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

How warm is the sea in Scarborough?

The sea temperature in Scarborough ranges from 6.7 °C in March to 15.5 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.

Can you swim in Scarborough in October?

Only if you don't mind cold water: in October the sea averages just 12.3 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.

What is the warmest month in Scarborough?

August is the warmest month, with average highs of 18 °C and nights around 13 °C. January is the coolest month at 7 °C.

When does it rain most in Scarborough?

Rain is most frequent from July to August and from October to February; the wettest month is November with 84 mm. The driest month is April with 52 mm.

How many hours of sunshine does Scarborough get?

Scarborough gets around 1,710 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is May with 7.4 hours a day; in December there are 1.8 hours a day.

What time zone is Scarborough in?

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

Which school holidays are best for Scarborough?

Scarborough has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 24) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 6). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 18, May half-term 24, Summer holidays 20, October half-term 8, Christmas holidays 6.

Near Scarborough

Other destinations close by.

Places with a climate like Scarborough

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

  1. 86% similar7St AndrewsUnited Kingdom12°12°Best time: Apr – Jul
  2. 85% similar7Berwick-upon-TweedUnited Kingdom13°12°Best time: Apr – Sep
  3. 84% similar5LlanfairpwllgwyngyllUnited Kingdom14°14°Best time: Apr – Aug
  4. 84% similar7DundeeUnited Kingdom12°12°Best time: Apr – Sep