Back to destinations
AI-generated illustrative landscape; not a photograph of this destination
AI-generated
United Kingdom

Stirling

Sun, sea & sand

Stirling at a glance

Best time
Apr – Sep
Warmest month
Jul · 18°
Warmest sea
Aug · 14.5°
Sunshine a year
1,270 h
Rain a year
947 mm
Climate
Maritime
Time zone
UTC+0 / UTC+1
Elevation
24 m

Climate in Stirling

Stirling 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 1,270 hours of sunshine a year, Stirling is rather dull; May is the sunniest month with 5.6 hours a day.

Holiday weather through the year

Your holiday weather, at a glance

Weather in October

4

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 12°
  3. Afternoon, 16:00: about 12°
  4. Evening, 20:00: about 10°
  5. Night, 23:00: about 9°

07:4518:18

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 07:22–08:37 · evening 17:26–18:41
Blue hour
Morning 07:07–07:22 · evening 18:41–18:55

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 Stirling in October?

In October, Stirling 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 97 mm. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stirling.

More details for October

Daylight
10 h 33 min07:45 – 18:18
UV index
1 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
Muggy days
0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
Wind
20 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 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 %20 %

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 Stirling

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 Stirling 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 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 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 Stirling

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

Per year
1,270 hours
Sunniest month
May · 5.6 h a day
Least sunshine
Dec · 1.4 h a day
OctoberSunshine 2.7 hDaylight 10.5 hShare of daylight 26 %
SunshineDaylight

In October, the sun shines for about 2.7 of 10.5 hours of daylight in Stirling, 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 Stirling

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 105 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 Stirling: 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
947 mm on 168 days
Wettest month
Oct · 97 mm
Driest month
Apr · 59 mm
OctoberRainy days 15Rainfall 97 mm

In October, Stirling has about 15 rainy days with 97 mm of rain in total.

Wind & clouds

Wind and clouds in Stirling

How breezy and how cloudy Stirling 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
19 km/h · light breeze
Windiest month
Feb · 22 km/h
Calmest month
Jul · 17 km/h
OctoberWind 20 km/hBeaufort 4
20
WindBeaufort 4

In October, the wind in Stirling typically peaks at 20 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: Oct – Mar.

Clouds

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

Year average
75 % · mostly cloudy
Clearest month
May · 71 %
Cloudiest month
Dec · 77 %
OctoberCloud cover 76 %Sunshine 2.7 h

In October, cloud covers on average 76 % of the sky over Stirling: mostly cloudy, with about 2.7 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 Stirling

Snow is possible in Stirling, 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
29 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 Stirling.

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 Stirling

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 (2°), the warmest in July (12°). 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
JanuaryJan46°2°6.8°1.6 h1588
FebruaryFeb67°2°6.1°2.6 h1480
MarchMar88°2°6.3°3.3 h1370
AprilApr1411°4°7.6°4.7 h1259
MayMay1514°7°9.8°5.6 h1468
JuneJun1316°10°12.2°4.9 h1473
JulyJul1018°12°14.0°4.7 h1581
AugustAug1018°12°14.5°4.4 h1485
SeptemberSep1016°10°13.6°3.6 h1267
OctoberOct412°7°12.0°2.7 h1597
NovemberNov58°4°10.1°2.1 h1585
DecemberDec46°2°8.2°1.4 h1595

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

56.12° N, 3.94° W · 24 m · Europe/London

Best time to visit

Best time to visit Stirling

The best time to visit Stirling is from April to September. The sea stays too cool for a classic beach holiday: even in August it only reaches 14.5 °C. The wettest month is October with 97 mm of precipitation.

Stirling through the seasons

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

Stirling in spring

Mar – May

12

Poor

  • 8–14 °C by day
  • Sea 8 °C
  • 5 h of sun a day
  • 40 rainy days in all

Stirling in summer

Jun – Aug

11

Poor

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

Stirling in autumn

Sep – Nov

6

Poor

  • 8–16 °C by day
  • Sea 12 °C
  • 3 h of sun a day
  • 42 rainy days in all

Stirling in winter

Dec – Feb

5

Poor

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

Find your perfect month

Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Stirling 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 Stirling

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 Stirling: score 15 against 4. In May, days are 2 °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, Stirling
MonthOctoberMay
Weather score415better
Day high12°14°
Night low7°7°
Sea12.0°9.8°
Sunshine2.7 h5.6 hbetter
Rainy days1514better
Rainfall97 mm68 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

All year

12 or more rainy days

Snow

Jan

Snow on 2 or more days

Stirling month by month

The typical weather for every month at a glance.

4January6° · Sea 7° · 2 h

In January, Stirling is cold: daytime highs average 6 °C, and nights cool down to about 2 °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 15 days, adding up to 88 mm. Snow falls on about 2 days. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stirling.

Stirling in January
6February7° · Sea 6° · 3 h

In February, Stirling is cold: daytime highs average 7 °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 14 rainy days and 80 mm in total. Snow falls on about 2 days. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stirling.

Stirling in February
8March8° · Sea 6° · 3 h

In March, Stirling 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 3 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 70 mm in total. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stirling.

Stirling in March
14April11° · Sea 8° · 5 h

In April, Stirling is cool: daytime highs average 11 °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 59 mm in total. All in all, April is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stirling.

Stirling in April
15May14° · Sea 10° · 6 h

In May, Stirling is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °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 68 mm in total. All in all, May is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stirling.

Stirling in May
13June16° · Sea 12° · 5 h

In June, Stirling is mild: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °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 14 rainy days and 73 mm in total. All in all, June is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stirling.

Stirling in June
10July18° · Sea 14° · 5 h

In July, Stirling is mild: daytime highs average 18 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °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 81 mm. All in all, July is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stirling.

Stirling in July
10August18° · Sea 15° · 4 h

In August, Stirling is mild: daytime highs average 18 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sea averages 14.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 4 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 14 days, adding up to 85 mm. All in all, August is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stirling.

Stirling in August
10September16° · Sea 14° · 4 h

In September, Stirling is cool: daytime highs average 16 °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 67 mm in total. All in all, September is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stirling.

Stirling in September
4October12° · Sea 12° · 3 h

In October, Stirling 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 97 mm. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stirling.

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

In November, Stirling 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 15 days, adding up to 85 mm. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stirling.

Stirling in November
4December6° · Sea 8° · 1 h

In December, Stirling 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 1 hours a day. It rains often – on about 15 days, adding up to 95 mm. Snow falls on about 2 days. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stirling.

Stirling in December
Compare

Stirling compared

Put Stirling side by side with another destination.

Nearby:
Compare with home:

Stirling vs. Dunfermline

In October the holiday weather in Stirling and Dunfermline is about equally good (score 4 vs. 5). During the day it is about as warm in Dunfermline as in Stirling. The sea is about equally warm.

Stirling vs. Dunfermline, in October
in OctoberStirlingDunfermline
Holiday score45
Daytime high12°12°
Sea12°12°
Sunshine3 h3 h
Rainy days1515
Best timeApr – SepApr – Sep

Through the year

OctoberStirling 12°Dunfermline 12°
StirlingDunfermline
Go to Dunfermline
Ranking

United Kingdom in October: the best places

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

  1. Sunderland13°12°38
  2. 2Durham13°37
  3. 3Bradford13°36
  4. 4Newcastle upon Tyne13°35
  5. 5Halifax13°32
  6. 6Belfast13°14°31
  7. 7Portadown12°30
  8. 8Edinburgh12°12°29
  9. 23StirlingThis page12°12°4
All destinations: United Kingdom

Planning a trip to Stirling

Weather for your travel dates

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

Stirling 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.

Stirling has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 15) and its weakest during October half-term (score 4).

  • Easter holidays

    Mar – Apr

    12

    Poor

    • 10 °C by day
    • Sea 7 °C
    • 4.3 h of sun a day
    • 13 rainy days a month

    Keep in mind: Frequent rain

  • May half-term

    May – Jun

    15

    PoorBest holidays

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

    Keep in mind: Frequent rain

  • Summer holidays

    Jul – Aug

    10

    Poor

    • 18 °C by day
    • Sea 14 °C
    • 4.5 h of sun a day
    • 15 rainy days a month

    Keep in mind: Frequent rain

  • October half-term

    Oct

    4

    Poor

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

    Keep in mind: Frequent rain

  • Christmas holidays

    Dec – Jan

    4

    Poor

    • 6 °C by day
    • Sea 8 °C
    • 1.5 h of sun a day
    • 15 rainy days a month

    Keep in mind: Frequent rain, Snow

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.

Frequently asked questions about Stirling

When is the best time to visit Stirling?

The best time to visit Stirling 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 Stirling?

The sea temperature in Stirling 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 Stirling 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 Stirling?

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 18 °C and nights around 12 °C. January is the coolest month at 6 °C.

When does it rain most in Stirling?

The wettest month is October with 97 mm of precipitation. The driest month is April with 59 mm.

How many hours of sunshine does Stirling get?

Stirling gets around 1,270 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is May with 5.6 hours a day; in December there are 1.4 hours a day.

What time zone is Stirling in?

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

How long is the flight from London to Stirling?

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

Which school holidays are best for Stirling?

Stirling has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 15) and its weakest during October half-term (score 4). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 12, May half-term 15, Summer holidays 10, October half-term 4, Christmas holidays 4.

Near Stirling

Other destinations close by.

Places with a climate like Stirling

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

  1. 88% 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