Shetland: Climate and weather with charts

Shetland lies on the border between the Atlantic and the North Sea, surrounded by the sea. The climate is harsh and windy. Yet the sun often makes an appearance too.

Average Shetland climate: sunshine, rain, temperature

The maritime climate also means that whilst summers are cooler than in the rest of Scotland, winters are correspondingly milder.

Average monthly temperatures in Shetland

The good news: Shetland also receives significantly less rainfall than the Scottish average. There is very little rain on the islands, particularly from April to August.

Precipitation and hours of sunshine in Shetland

However, you must always expect wind. With an average of 14.7 knots, Shetland is significantly windier than Scotland as a whole (Scotland averages 10.7 knots, Germany averages 11.8 knots). November to March are the windiest months.

However, the wind makes the actually mild temperatures feel much colder. That’s why gloves are a real must, especially in the off-season.

The wind also prevents the notorious midges from making an appearance. They only fly when there is no wind, so almost never in Shetland.

‼️ The weather can be very changeable overall. On my trip in March, for instance , I experienced hail, sunshine, rain and even snow within the space of a few minutes. The wind was always stormy. You should therefore expect the weather to change quickly and take this into account when packing your gear.

The months in Shetland and what the weather is like

January to March: cool, windy but relatively mild

From January to March, daytime highs on the Shetland Islands usually range between 5.8 and 6.7 degrees, whilst night-time temperatures drop to an average of 1.8 to 2.4 degrees. This is surprisingly mild for such a northerly location. Frost does occur, but is significantly less common than in Scotland as a whole.

These months are typically characterised by many rainy days and, above all, strong winds. In January in particular, the average wind speed in Shetland exceeds 18 knots. Overall, this often makes the weather feel harsher than the temperatures would suggest.

April to June: drier period and long days

In spring, the weather in Shetland improves significantly. Temperatures rise from an average of 8.4 degrees in April to 12.6 degrees in June. It remains cool at night, but frost is hardly an issue anymore.

May is particularly notable: it is often the driest month of the year in Shetland. At the same time, the days become very long, making this time particularly attractive for travel. The wind remains noticeable, but is weaker than in winter.

July to September: a cool summer with plenty of sunshine

Summer in Shetland is mild and cool. Average maximum temperatures range from just 13 to just under 15 degrees. Hot days are rare. However, the weather remains relatively stable, without any major extremes.

July and August bring the warmest temperatures of the year, whilst September already feels distinctly more autumnal. The wind remains present, but is weaker in midsummer than in other seasons.

October to December: significantly harsher again

From October onwards, the weather in Shetland becomes significantly more changeable again. Maximum temperatures drop from an average of 10.4 degrees in October to around 6.6 degrees in December. At the same time, rainfall, rainy days and wind increase markedly.

November and December in particular are often grey, damp and windy. However, due to the maritime influence, temperatures usually remain slightly higher than the Scottish average. Frost is possible, but still not as frequent as on the mainland.

Comparison with Scotland: Shetland is generally slightly milder than Scotland as a whole in late autumn and early winter, but significantly windier. Rainfall is slightly lower, but the number of wet and unpleasant days remains high.