The Shetland Islands in northern Scotland are oceanic, cold, and wet most of the year. Autumn and winter bring strong winds. Cool summer. The islands are 320 km (200 mi) from Norway's southwest coast and Scotland's northernmost point. There are 16 inhabited islands with few houses. Between islands, roads cross sandy isthmuses. Ronas Hill, at 450 meters, is the highest interior hill. Altitude makes snow more frequent and easier to accumulate on these hills, where it rains or snows just above freezing for a few months.
Winter is mid-November to mid-April and averages a few degrees above freezing. Wind, humidity, and darkness worsen cold. November - January days are short due to latitude. The shortest day, December 21, runs from 9:08 am to 2:57 pm. Snowfalls are frequent but rare. Many polar cold winds blow, but the sea keeps the temperature from dropping too much, so light frosts rarely drop below -5 °C (23 °F). The lowest temperature was -9 °C (16 °F) in January 1952 and 1959. The mild westerlies keep the temperature a few degrees above freezing, reaching 8/10 °C (46/50 °F), but the sky is cloudy, and wind and rain are common. Atlantic depressions with gale-force winds and sea storms occur frequently here. Mid-April to late May is cold and wintery, with snow showers in the first half of May. The days are long, the wind slows, and the sun occasionally appears.
From June to August, summer is cool, humid, rainy, and windy. Sometimes, fog forms. Sicily, Cyprus, and other Mediterranean coasts have similar winter temperatures. Sometimes the temperature doesn't exceed 18 °C (64.5 °F) for a month, but it can reach 20/22 °C. In July 1991, it reached 23.5 °C (74.5 °F) and in July 2022, 23. Fortunately, the days are long. The longest day of the year, June 21, begins at 3:38 am and ends at 10:34 pm. Our high latitude (60th parallel, same as Helsinki) causes white nights from May 11 to August 1, when it is not completely dark at midnight. Summer is also the least windy, though strong winds can occur. Autumn is cloudy, rainy, windy, and colder from September to mid-November.
The Shetlands are mildest in summer, so June to August is the best time to visit. Cloudy skies, wind, rain, and cold nights are common. Although June is colder than July and August, the days are long (almost 19 hours versus 18 hours and 15 and a half hours in mid-July and mid-August). September has a similar temperature to June, but it rains more, and the days are shorter (remember that on September 23, the autumnal equinox, the day lasts 12 hours worldwide).
Visitors can expect a maritime climate with frequent rainfall and occasional snow in winter. The best time to visit Shetland is during the summer months from June to August, when temperatures are mildest, days are longest, and conditions are generally more favorable for outdoor activities. Planning your trip around these seasons ensures a better experience amidst Shetland's stunning natural landscapes and distinct weather patterns.