Climate
Shetland has an oceanic climate, with long but mild winters and short, cool summers. The climate all year round is moderate due to the influence of the surrounding seas, with average peak temperatures of 5 °C (41 °F) in March and 14 °C (57 °F) in July and August. Temperatures over 21 °C (70 °F) are rare. The highest temperature on record was 23.4 °C (74.1 °F) in July 1991 and the coldest −8.9 °C (16.0 °F) in the Januarys of 1952 and 1959. The frost-free period may be as little as 3 months.
The general character of the climate is windy and cloudy with at least 2 mm (0.079 in) of rain falling on more than 250 days a year. Average yearly precipitation is 1,003 mm (39.5 in), with November and December the wettest months. Snowfall is usually confined to the period November to February and seldom lies on the ground for more than a day. Less rain falls from April to August although no month receives less than 50 mm (2.0 in). Fog is common during summer due to the cooling effect of the sea on mild southerly airflows.
Due to the islands' latitude, on clear winter nights the "northern lights" can sometimes be seen in the sky, while in summer there is almost perpetual daylight, a state of affairs known locally as the "simmer dim". Annual bright sunshine averages 1090 hours and overcast days are common.
| Climate data for Shetland | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 5 (41) |
5 (41) |
6 (43) |
8 (46) |
11 (52) |
13 (55) |
14 (57) |
14 (57) |
13 (55) |
10 (50) |
8 (46) |
6 (43) |
9.4 (49.0) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 1 (34) |
1 (34) |
2 (36) |
3 (37) |
5 (41) |
7 (45) |
10 (50) |
10 (50) |
8 (46) |
6 (43) |
4 (39) |
3 (37) |
5.0 (41.0) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 109 (4.29) |
87 (3.43) |
69 (2.72) |
68 (2.68) |
52 (2.05) |
55 (2.17) |
72 (2.83) |
71 (2.8) |
87 (3.43) |
104 (4.09) |
111 (4.37) |
118 (4.65) |
1,003 (39.49) |
| Avg. precipitation days | 25 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 243 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 24.8 | 50.4 | 89.9 | 136 | 164 | 159 | 124 | 117.8 | 108.5 | 68.2 | 33 | 15 | 1,090.6 |
| Source: | |||||||||||||
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