What to Wear in Edinburgh
UK · 6 monthly packing guides
Edinburgh runs Scottish heritage — Pringle of Scotland (Hawick-founded 1815, the heritage Scottish cashmere with the Argyle pattern), Mackintosh (Glasgow-founded 1823, the heritage rubberized waterproof — the original raincoat), Harris Tweed (Outer Hebrides handwoven wool since 1846, Orb-mark certified — protected by the Harris Tweed Act 1993), Johnstons of Elgin (Scottish cashmere since 1797), Walker Slater (Edinburgh tweed tailoring), Holland Esquire (Edinburgh tailoring). The Royal Mile cobble + Old Town stairs need structured leather soles. Edinburgh Festival Fringe (the world's largest arts festival) runs all of August — 3,000+ shows, 2.5 million tickets; Edinburgh International Festival, Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo run concurrently. Hotel rates 3-5x higher in August; book 6-12 months ahead.
Choose your month below to match your layers and shoes to the weather. Across the months covered, average daily lows reach 1°C / 34°F in January; average highs reach 19°C / 66°F in July.
Compare Edinburgh by month
Monthly averages help compare packing needs; check the forecast before departure. Only months with published guides are listed. See the source notes below for station and measurement differences. Scroll across the table to see all weather details on a small screen.
| Month | Average low | Average high | Rain days | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January packing guide | 1°C / 34°F | 7°C / 45°F | 17 | 7h 35m |
| May packing guide | 6°C / 43°F | 14°C / 57°F | 10 | 16h 15m |
| June packing guide | 9°C / 48°F | 17°C / 63°F | 12 | 17h 25m |
| July packing guide | 11°C / 52°F | 19°C / 66°F | 12 | 17h |
| August packing guide | 11°C / 52°F | 19°C / 66°F | 13 | 15h 40m |
| December packing guide | 1°C / 34°F | 7°C / 45°F | 17 | 7h |
Choose your Edinburgh packing list
Edinburgh in January: 7°C / 45°F afternoons, 1°C / 34°F nights, the coldest month in eastern Scotland, and Burns Night on Monday 25 January.
In this capsule: Plum long wool-cashmere coat, notch lapel; Mauve fine-rib turtleneck; Forest green tartan blazer, burgundy velvet trim.
Edinburgh in May is Scottish late spring — 14°C / 57°F afternoons, 6°C / 43°F mornings, 10 rain days, the Royal Mile cobble at peak walking weather.
In this capsule: Mid-weight wool sweater or cashmere — Pringle of Scotland (1815); Cotton/merino-wool blend long-sleeve base; Packable rain shell or Mackintosh coat (1823).
Edinburgh in June is Scottish early summer — 17°C / 63°F afternoons, 9°C / 48°F mornings, 12 rain days, daylight 17h 25m (the longest of the year).
In this capsule: Mid-weight wool sweater or cashmere — Pringle of Scotland (1815); Cotton/merino-wool blend long-sleeve base; Mackintosh raincoat (1823).
Edinburgh in July is peak Scottish summer — 19°C / 66°F afternoons, 11°C / 52°F nights, 12 rain days. Edinburgh Festival Fringe build-up; festival arrives August.
In this capsule: Mid-weight wool sweater or cashmere — Pringle of Scotland (1815); Cotton/merino-wool blend long-sleeve base; Mackintosh raincoat (1823).
Edinburgh in August is Festival Fringe peak — 19°C / 66°F afternoons, 11°C / 52°F nights, 13 rain days. The world's largest arts festival; 3,000+ shows.
In this capsule: Mid-weight wool sweater or cashmere — Pringle of Scotland (1815); Cotton/merino-wool blend long-sleeve base; Mackintosh raincoat (1823).
Edinburgh in December: 7°C / 45°F afternoons, 1°C / 34°F nights, about 17 wet days, seven hours of daylight, and Hogmanay outdoors in the wind.
In this capsule: Dark loden insulated waterproof parka, fur-trimmed hood; Oatmeal cashmere roll-neck; Red tartan wool midi skirt.
Climate sources by month
These credits follow the source recorded on each monthly guide. Climate figures inform the packing advice; outfit combinations and illustrations are editorial suggestions.
- January: NOAA NCEI · Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh · 1991–2020 normalsthe Met Office operates the station; NOAA NCEI computed this month's figures from its UKE00105888 global-summary-of-the-month record, 29–30 Januaries. Rain days count days with 0.01 in (0.25 mm) or more.
- May: UK Met Office · Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh · 1991–2020 normals
- June: UK Met Office · Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh · 1991–2020 normals
- July: UK Met Office · Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh · 1991–2020 normals
- August: UK Met Office · Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh · 1991–2020 normals
- December: NOAA NCEI · Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh · 1991–2020 normalsthe Met Office operates the station; NOAA NCEI computed this month's figures from its UKE00105888 global-summary-of-the-month record, 29–30 Decembers. Rain days count days with 0.01 in (0.25 mm) or more.
Frequently asked questions
Start with your travel month. The 6 published guides cover January, May, June, July, August, December. Compare the average low as well as the high: among these months, January has the lowest average low at 1°C / 34°F, while July has the highest average high at 19°C / 66°F. For a trip spanning two months, read both lists before deciding which layers to bring.
No. They are monthly climate averages for planning, not temperatures promised for a particular day or hour. Check the local forecast close to departure and adjust your layers and rain protection. The source, station and averaging period are listed for each month where recorded; different stations or rain-day definitions can affect comparisons.
No. Treat the capsule as a set of clothing functions: walking shoes, a base outfit, weather protection and any change for dinner or a venue's dress code. Start with equivalents you own. Adjust quantities to your trip length and laundry access; the illustrations are outfit suggestions, not a shopping requirement.