ClimateAverages

Orkney Climate

North-West, South Africa · population 145,801 · 67 weather stations within 200 km · records 1859 to 2025

Average annual daytime high
25.7°C
Warmest month · January
29.7°C
Typical daytime high
Coldest month · July
1.3°C
Typical overnight low

Orkney has an average annual daytime high of 25.7°C, based on the 1951 to 1980 baseline. Its warmest month is January, when highs typically reach 29.7°C, and its coldest is July, with overnight lows near 1.3°C.

Month by month averages

MonthAvg highAvg low
January29.7°C16.1°CWarmest
February28.9°C15.7°C
March27.9°C14.1°C
April25.0°C9.8°C
May22.2°C5.2°C
June19.2°C1.4°C
July19.7°C1.3°CColdest
August22.6°C3.9°C
September26.6°C8.6°C
October28.3°C11.8°C
November28.9°C14.0°C
December29.6°C15.3°C

Temperature range across the year

-1°7°15°24°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Daytime high Overnight low
Hottest year on record
2015
+2.0°C vs. 1951–1980
Coldest year on record
1863
-1.5°C vs. 1951–1980

These figures reflect annual averages, not single-day records. Daily observations are outside this dataset's precision.

Is Orkney getting hotter?

Since 1900, Orkney's average temperature has risen by +1.7°C. Compared to the earliest station records that begin in 1859, warming totals +1.8°C.

16.7°17.3°17.8°18.4°19.0°1951–1980 baseline190019251950197520002025

20-year smoothed annual temperature reconstructed from station anomalies. Dashed line: 1951–1980 baseline.

Best time to visit
April to August

Daytime highs sit within a comfortable 15°C to 26°C range.

FAQ

What is the average temperature in Orkney?

Orkney's average annual daytime high is 25.7°C, based on the 1951 to 1980 baseline period. The warmest month is January, with highs averaging 29.7°C, and the coldest is July, with lows averaging 1.3°C.

What is the warmest month in Orkney?

January is the warmest month in Orkney, with typical daytime highs of 29.7°C.

What is the hottest year on record for Orkney?

2015 is the hottest year on record for Orkney, running +2.0°C above the 1951 to 1980 baseline.

Is Orkney getting hotter?

Yes. Since 1900, Orkney has warmed by roughly +1.7°C.

When is the best time to visit Orkney?

April to August typically offers the most comfortable daytime highs, in the 15°C to 26°C range.

Nearby cities

Baseline period 1951 to 1980. Monthly averages are the mean of station observations weighted by proximity. Warming trend is the 20-year smoothed anomaly against that baseline.