Month by month
| Month | Afternoon | Sea | Rain | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7.1 °C | 8.1 °C | 19 days | Unfavourable season |
| February | 6.9 °C | 7.4 °C | 16 days | Unfavourable season |
| March | 7.4 °C | 7.4 °C | 17 days | Unfavourable season |
| April | 8.3 °C | 7.8 °C | 13 days | Unfavourable season |
| May | 10.6 °C | 8.9 °C | 15 days | Unfavourable season |
| June | 12.9 °C | 10.5 °C | 14 days | Possible, with trade-offs |
| July | 14.2 °C | 12.1 °C | 18 days | Possible, with trade-offs |
| August | 14.8 °C | 13 °C | 17 days | Possible, with trade-offs |
| September | 13.8 °C | 13.1 °C | 17 days | Possible, with trade-offs |
| October | 11.7 °C | 12.1 °C | 18 days | Unfavourable season |
| November | 9.6 °C | 10.8 °C | 19 days | Unfavourable season |
| December | 8.3 °C | 9.3 °C | 20 days | Unfavourable season |
Nearby in January
Before you go
Three things to check once you have picked your dates.
Safety
No advisory published for this destination.
Health
CDC level 2 notice: Polio (global)
Vaccines · hepatitis B if you are not already vaccinated; hepatitis A and polio depending on activities and areas visited. Routine vaccines up to date (measles in particular).
Yellow fever · No yellow fever locally, vaccine not recommended. No entry requirement.
Malaria · None.
Per the CDC (page reviewed 25 August 2026); see a travel clinic a few weeks before departure.
Beau Fixe is not a safety or health authority. These notes summarise dated public texts and link to their source: France Diplomatie (Licence Ouverte 2.0), Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (gov.uk, Open Government Licence v3.0), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Source: CDC). Only the competent authorities are authoritative.
FAQ
Can you swim in Kirkwall in January?
The sea averages 8.1°C in January — too cold for most swimmers.
How hot is Kirkwall in January?
Expect 7.1°C in the afternoon and 4.4°C at night, averaged over the last 10 years.
Does it rain a lot in Kirkwall in January?
Around 19 days with rain (≥ 1 mm) in the month — 62% of days.