AI-generatedStornoway at a glance
- Best time
- Apr – Jun
- Warmest month
- Jul · 16°
- Warmest sea
- Aug · 13.5°
- Sunshine a year
- 1,260 h
- Rain a year
- 1,068 mm
- Climate
- Maritime
- Time zone
- UTC+0 / UTC+1
- Elevation
- 12 m
Climate in Stornoway
Stornoway has a maritime climate with moderate summers and cool, often grey winters. July is the warmest month with average highs of 16 °C, while January is the coolest at 7 °C. With around 1,260 hours of sunshine a year, Stornoway is rather dull; May is the sunniest month with 6.6 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Poor
Best time to visit: April – June
Keep in mindFrequent rain
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 8°
- Midday, 13:00: about 11°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 12°
- Evening, 20:00: about 10°
- Night, 23:00: about 9°
07:5818:24
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 07:34–08:54 · evening 17:28–18:48
- Blue hour
- Morning 07:19–07:34 · evening 18:48–19:04
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 Stornoway in October?
In October, Stornoway is cool: daytime highs average 12 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sea averages 12.4 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. It rains often – on about 18 days, adding up to 110 mm. It is often windy, with gusts of around 28 km/h. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stornoway.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 10 h 25 min07:58 – 18:24
- UV index
- 1 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 28 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 Stornoway
Monthly sea surface temperature with the range of cooler and warmer years.
8 in 10 years: 12.0 – 13.0 °C
Swimming season: Never above 20 °C
- cold
- fresh
- refreshing
- pleasant
- warm
- very warm
The sea temperature in Stornoway ranges from 7.8 °C in March to 13.5 °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 October to February 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 12.9 and 14.2 °C.
| Month | Average | Cool year | Warm year | Feels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 8.9° | 8.4° | 9.4° | cold |
| FebruaryFeb | 8.1° | 7.6° | 8.7° | cold |
| MarchMar | 7.8° | 7.3° | 8.4° | cold |
| AprilApr | 8.3° | 7.6° | 8.9° | cold |
| MayMay | 9.5° | 8.8° | 10.0° | cold |
| JuneJun | 11.3° | 10.4° | 11.9° | cold |
| JulyJul | 12.9° | 12.1° | 13.8° | cold |
| AugustAug | 13.5° | 12.9° | 14.2° | cold |
| SeptemberSep | 13.3° | 12.7° | 13.8° | cold |
| OctoberOct | 12.4° | 12.0° | 13.0° | cold |
| NovemberNov | 11.4° | 10.8° | 12.0° | cold |
| DecemberDec | 10.1° | 9.4° | 10.5° | cold |
Sunshine hours in Stornoway
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 Stornoway, 24 % of the day.
Sunshine hours: measured at the weather station 4 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 Stornoway
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 Stornoway: 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, Stornoway has about 18 rainy days with 110 mm of rain in total.
Wind and clouds in Stornoway
How breezy and how cloudy Stornoway 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 Stornoway typically peaks at 28 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, 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 Stornoway: 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 Stornoway
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 (4°), the warmest in August (12°). Nights fall below 8 °C on average from November to May, 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 | 3 | 7° | 4° | 8.9° | 1.1 h | 16 | 96 |
| FebruaryFeb | 3 | 7° | 4° | 8.1° | 2.2 h | 16 | 87 |
| MarchMar | 4 | 8° | 4° | 7.8° | 3.5 h | 16 | 82 |
| AprilApr | 11 | 10° | 5° | 8.3° | 5.2 h | 16 | 72 |
| MayMay | 13 | 12° | 7° | 9.5° | 6.6 h | 17 | 82 |
| JuneJun | 10 | 14° | 10° | 11.3° | 5.4 h | 17 | 78 |
| JulyJul | 5 | 16° | 12° | 12.9° | 4.5 h | 19 | 90 |
| AugustAug | 4 | 16° | 12° | 13.5° | 4.3 h | 18 | 95 |
| SeptemberSep | 5 | 14° | 11° | 13.3° | 3.7 h | 16 | 90 |
| OctoberOct | 0 | 12° | 8° | 12.4° | 2.5 h | 18 | 110 |
| NovemberNov | 2 | 9° | 6° | 11.4° | 1.5 h | 17 | 91 |
| DecemberDec | 2 | 7° | 4° | 10.1° | 0.9 h | 16 | 95 |
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
58.21° N, 6.39° W · 12 m · Europe/London
Best time to visit Stornoway
The best time to visit Stornoway is from April to June. The sea stays too cool for a classic beach holiday: even in August it only reaches 13.5 °C. The wettest month is October with 110 mm of precipitation.
Stornoway through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Stornoway in spring
Mar – May
Poor
- 8–12 °C by day
- Sea 9 °C
- 5 h of sun a day
- 49 rainy days in all
Stornoway in summer
Jun – Aug
Poor
- 14–16 °C by day
- Sea 13 °C
- 5 h of sun a day
- 54 rainy days in all
Stornoway in autumn
Sep – Nov
Poor
- 9–14 °C by day
- Sea 12 °C
- 3 h of sun a day
- 51 rainy days in all
Stornoway in winter
Dec – Feb
Poor
- 7 °C by day
- Sea 9 °C
- 1 h of sun a day
- 48 rainy days in all
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Stornoway for you.
Your best months: April – June
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Compare two months in Stornoway
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 Stornoway: score 13 against 0. Daytime highs are about the same. The sea is 3 °C cooler in May. May has one rainy day fewer. The sun shines 4 hours longer a day in May.
| Month | October | May |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 0 | 13better |
| Day high | 12° | 12° |
| Night low | 8° | 7° |
| Sea | 12.4° | 9.5° |
| Sunshine | 2.5 h | 6.6 hbetter |
| Rainy days | 18 | 17better |
| Rainfall | 110 mm | 82 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
Stornoway month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
3January7° · Sea 9° · 1 h
In January, Stornoway 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 1 hours a day. It rains often – on about 16 days, adding up to 96 mm. It is often windy, with gusts of around 31 km/h. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stornoway.
Stornoway in January3February7° · Sea 8° · 2 h
In February, Stornoway is cold: daytime highs average 7 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. The sea averages 8.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. It rains often – on about 16 days, adding up to 87 mm. It is often windy, with gusts of around 31 km/h. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stornoway.
Stornoway in February4March8° · Sea 8° · 4 h
In March, Stornoway is cold: daytime highs average 8 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. The sea averages 7.8 °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 82 mm. It is often windy, with gusts of around 29 km/h. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stornoway.
Stornoway in March11April10° · Sea 8° · 5 h
In April, Stornoway is cool: daytime highs average 10 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. The sea averages 8.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 16 days, adding up to 72 mm. All in all, April is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stornoway.
Stornoway in April13May12° · Sea 10° · 7 h
In May, Stornoway is cool: daytime highs average 12 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. The sea averages 9.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. It rains often – on about 17 days, adding up to 82 mm. All in all, May is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stornoway.
Stornoway in May10June14° · Sea 11° · 5 h
In June, Stornoway is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. The sea averages 11.3 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 17 days, adding up to 78 mm. All in all, June is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stornoway.
Stornoway in June5July16° · Sea 13° · 5 h
In July, Stornoway is mild: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sea averages 12.9 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 19 days, adding up to 90 mm. All in all, July is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stornoway.
Stornoway in July4August16° · Sea 14° · 4 h
In August, Stornoway is mild: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sea averages 13.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 4 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 18 days, adding up to 95 mm. All in all, August is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stornoway.
Stornoway in August5September14° · Sea 13° · 4 h
In September, Stornoway is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 11 °C. The sea averages 13.3 °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 90 mm. All in all, September is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stornoway.
Stornoway in September0October12° · Sea 12° · 3 h
In October, Stornoway is cool: daytime highs average 12 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sea averages 12.4 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. It rains often – on about 18 days, adding up to 110 mm. It is often windy, with gusts of around 28 km/h. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stornoway.
Stornoway in October2November9° · Sea 11° · 2 h
In November, Stornoway is cold: daytime highs average 9 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. The sea averages 11.4 °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 91 mm. It is often windy, with gusts of around 29 km/h. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stornoway.
Stornoway in November2December7° · Sea 10° · 1 h
In December, Stornoway is cold: daytime highs average 7 °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 1 hours a day. It rains often – on about 16 days, adding up to 95 mm. It is often windy, with gusts of around 29 km/h. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Stornoway.
Stornoway in DecemberStornoway compared
Put Stornoway side by side with another destination.
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Stornoway vs. Inverness
In October Inverness has the better holiday weather (score 6 vs. 0). During the day Inverness is 1 °C cooler than Stornoway. The sea is about equally warm.
| in October | Stornoway | Inverness |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday score | 0 | 6 |
| Daytime high | 12° | 11° |
| Sea | 12° | 12° |
| Sunshine | 3 h | 3 h |
| Rainy days | 18 | 14 |
| Best time | Apr – Jun | Apr – Jul, Sep |
Through the year
United Kingdom in October: the best places
In October, Stornoway ranks 25 among the 31 nearest destinations in this country.
- Sunderland13°12°38
- 2Durham13°37
- 3Newcastle upon Tyne13°35
- 4Belfast13°14°31
- 5Portadown12°30
- 6Edinburgh12°12°29
- 7Carlisle12°29
- 8Lockerbie12°28
- 25StornowayThis page12°12°0
Planning a trip to Stornoway
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Stornoway 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.
Stornoway has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 12) and its weakest during October half-term (score 0).
- 9
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Poor
- 10 °C by day
- Sea 8 °C
- 4.7 h of sun a day
- 16 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 12
May half-term
May – Jun
PoorBest holidays
- 13 °C by day
- Sea 10 °C
- 6.4 h of sun a day
- 17 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 4
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
Poor
- 16 °C by day
- Sea 13 °C
- 4.4 h of sun a day
- 18 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 0
October half-term
Oct
Poor
- 12 °C by day
- Sea 12 °C
- 2.5 h of sun a day
- 18 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 3
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Poor
- 7 °C by day
- Sea 10 °C
- 1.0 h of sun a day
- 16 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
- 840 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 Stornoway
When is the best time to visit Stornoway?
The best time to visit Stornoway is from April to June. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
How warm is the sea in Stornoway?
The sea temperature in Stornoway ranges from 7.8 °C in March to 13.5 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
Can you swim in Stornoway in October?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in October the sea averages just 12.4 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.
What is the warmest month in Stornoway?
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 16 °C and nights around 12 °C. January is the coolest month at 7 °C.
When does it rain most in Stornoway?
The wettest month is October with 110 mm of precipitation. The driest month is April with 72 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Stornoway get?
Stornoway gets around 1,260 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is May with 6.6 hours a day; in December there are 0.9 hours a day.
What time zone is Stornoway in?
Stornoway uses the time zone Europe/London: UTC+0 in January and UTC+1 in July.
How long is the flight from London to Stornoway?
A nonstop flight from London to Stornoway takes about 1 h 30 min, for a straight-line distance of about 840 km.
Which school holidays are best for Stornoway?
Stornoway has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 12) and its weakest during October half-term (score 0). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 9, May half-term 12, Summer holidays 4, October half-term 0, Christmas holidays 3.
Near Stornoway
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Stornoway
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Stornoway's – good alternatives.