Edinburgh vs Inverness: which is sunnier?
🇬🇧 United Kingdom vs 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · 182 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Edinburgh is the sunnier overall: about 1,292 hours of sunshine a year to Inverness's 1,074. Edinburgh has the higher Sunshine Score in 1 of 12 months; the other 11 are within 2 points.
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Edinburgh | Inverness | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 1,292 | 1,074 |
| Sunniest month | July (58/100) | July (56/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 2/100 | 0/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 56/100 | 54/100 |
| Rain / year | 889 mm | 873 mm |
| Warmest sea | 16°C / 61°F | 16°C / 61°F |
| Peak midday UV | 4 (moderate) | 4 (moderate) |
Edinburgh vs Inverness month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | Sea °C | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh | Inverness | Edinburgh | Inverness | Edinburgh | Inverness | Edinburgh | Inverness | |
| January | 0 | 0 | 6° | 5° | 74 | 64 | 6° | 5° |
| February | 0 | 0 | 6° | 6° | 60 | 58 | 6° | 5° |
| March | 0 | 0 | 8° | 8° | 60 | 57 | 7° | 6° |
| April | 19 | 19 | 11° | 11° | 53 | 55 | 9° | 8° |
| May | 37 | 36 | 14° | 14° | 60 | 66 | 13° | 14° |
| June | 53 | 52 | 17° | 17° | 82 | 85 | 14° | 14° |
| July | 58 | 56 | 18° | 18° | 91 | 92 | 15° | 16° |
| August | 56 | 55 | 18° | 18° | 100 | 102 | 16° | 15° |
| September | 49 | 48 | 16° | 16° | 64 | 68 | 14° | 13° |
| October | 23 | 23 | 12° | 12° | 93 | 89 | 12° | 11° |
| November | 6 | 0 | 9° | 8° | 79 | 73 | 10° | 9° |
| December | 0 | 0 | 6° | 6° | 73 | 64 | 7° | 6° |
The sunnier month by month: Jan even · Feb even · Mar even · Apr even · May even · Jun even · Jul even · Aug even · Sep even · Oct even · Nov Edinburgh · Dec even.
When to pick which
- November–February: too close to call — Edinburgh averages 2/100, Inverness 0/100. Daytime highs are similar (7°C vs 6°C). See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: too close to call — Edinburgh averages 19/100, Inverness 18/100. Daytime highs are similar (11°C vs 11°C).
- June–August: too close to call — Edinburgh averages 56/100, Inverness 54/100. Daytime highs are similar (18°C vs 18°C).
- September–October: too close to call — Edinburgh averages 36/100, Inverness 36/100. Daytime highs are similar (14°C vs 14°C).
Sea temperature
Both seas peak at 16°C / 61°F. Swimmable water (21°C+): Edinburgh never, Inverness never. Month-by-month sea temperatures are in the table above.
Full month-by-month guides: Edinburgh weather by month · Inverness weather by month · Best time to visit United Kingdom.
More comparisons: Edinburgh vs Glasgow · Edinburgh vs Glasgow · Edinburgh vs Newcastle upon Tyne · Inverness vs Glasgow · Inverness vs Aberdeen · Inverness vs Reykjavík · all head-to-heads