Generalities Scotland’s weather is interestingly varied. Generally speaking the east coast is cool and dry while the west coast is warmer and wetter. If the wind is from the north east it is often chilly and cloudy in the east yet clear and sunny in the south west. If it is wet in the west it is usually dry in the east.
In mid-summer there is no complete darkness in the north of Scotland. On the longest day, Lerwick, in Shetland has about four hours more daylight than London.
Rainfall varies widely ranging from over 3,000mm (118 inches) per year in the west to under 800mm (31 inches) in the east. Thunder storms are comparatively rare and occur on around three to five days a year.
January and February are the coldest months with maximum temperatures ranging from an average of around 5°c to 7°c. July and August are normally the warmer months in Scotland with temperatures of an average 19°c
The average number of days with sleet or snow falling ranges from around 20 or less near the west coast to over 100 days on the Cairngorm Mountains. Lower-level roads are rarely affected by snow.
Links to Weather Online For further information on Scotland’s climate see the Met Office
BBC Weather provides useful general forecasts for the north and south of Scotland plus more detailed 5 day forecasts for individual towns. See the BBC website
Mountain Weather Information Service provides a detailed weather forecast for five of the mountainous areas of Scotland. See the Mountain Weather Information Service
Willkommen in Schottland
Bienvenue en Ecosse
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