Kirkwall (Orkney Islands) weather
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Forecast days
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Today. Maximum daytime temperature: 13 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 8 degrees Celsius. Sunny intervals. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: High; Pollution: Low; Pollen: Low.Today. Maximum daytime temperature: 13 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 8 degrees Celsius. Sunny intervals. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: High; Pollution: Low; Pollen: Low.
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Tuesday 21 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 15 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 11 degrees Celsius. Sunny intervals changing to cloudy by late morning. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: High; Pollution: Low; Pollen: Low.Tuesday 21 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 15 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 11 degrees Celsius. Sunny intervals changing to cloudy by late morning. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: High; Pollution: Low; Pollen: Low.
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Wednesday 22 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 14 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Overcast changing to light rain in the afternoon. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate; Pollution: Low; Pollen: Low.Wednesday 22 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 14 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Overcast changing to light rain in the afternoon. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate; Pollution: Low; Pollen: Low.
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Thursday 23 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 11 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Heavy rain changing to cloudy in the afternoon. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate; Pollution: Low; Pollen: Low.Thursday 23 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 11 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Heavy rain changing to cloudy in the afternoon. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate; Pollution: Low; Pollen: Low.
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Friday 24 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 13 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Light showers changing to cloudy by late morning. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate; Pollution: Low; Pollen: Low.Friday 24 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 13 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Light showers changing to cloudy by late morning. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate; Pollution: Low; Pollen: Low.
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Saturday 25 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 14 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 11 degrees Celsius. Sunny. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate;Saturday 25 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 14 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 11 degrees Celsius. Sunny. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate;
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Sunday 26 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 14 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Sunny intervals changing to cloudy by lunchtime. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate;Sunday 26 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 14 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Sunny intervals changing to cloudy by lunchtime. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate;
Seven day forecast for Kirkwall
| Time | 11:00 | 12:00 | 13:00 | 14:00 | 15:00 | 16:00 | 17:00 | 18:00 | 19:00 | 20:00 | 21:00 | 22:00 | 23:00 |
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| Weather symbols |
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Chance of precipitation
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<5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% |
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12°
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13°
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13°
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13°
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13°
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13°
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12°
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12°
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12°
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11°
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10°
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10°
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9°
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10° | 10° | 10° | 10° | 10° | 10° | 10° | 9° | 9° | 8° | 8° | 7° | 7° |
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SE
12
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SE
13
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SE
13
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SE
13
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SE
14
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ESE
14
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ESE
14
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ESE
14
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ESE
13
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SE
12
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SE
11
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SE
9
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SE
8
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16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 |
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VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG |
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Humidity
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77% | 73% | 73% | 73% | 72% | 73% | 73% | 71% | 74% | 79% | 87% | 90% | 90% |
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UV
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5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| Time | 00:00 | 01:00 | 02:00 | 03:00 | 04:00 | 05:00 | 06:00 | 07:00 | 08:00 | 09:00 | 10:00 | 11:00 | 12:00 | 13:00 | 14:00 | 15:00 | 16:00 | 17:00 | 18:00 | 19:00 | 20:00 | 21:00 | 22:00 | 23:00 |
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| Weather symbols |
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Chance of precipitation
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<5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | 10% | 10% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% |
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9°
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9°
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8°
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8°
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8°
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9°
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10°
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10°
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11°
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11°
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12°
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12°
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12°
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13°
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13°
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14°
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14°
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14°
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13°
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13°
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13°
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12°
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12°
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12°
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7° | 7° | 6° | 6° | 7° | 7° | 8° | 8° | 8° | 9° | 9° | 10° | 10° | 11° | 11° | 11° | 12° | 11° | 11° | 10° | 10° | 10° | 9° | 9° |
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SE
8
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SE
8
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SE
7
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SE
7
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SE
7
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SE
7
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SE
8
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SE
10
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SE
11
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SE
11
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SE
12
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SE
12
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SE
12
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SE
12
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SE
12
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SE
13
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SE
14
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SE
14
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SE
14
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SE
14
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SE
14
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SE
12
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SE
12
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SE
12
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17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 19 |
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VG | G | G | G | G | G | G | M | G | G | VG | VG | VG | VG | G | G | G | G | G | G | G | G | M | M |
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Humidity
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91% | 92% | 94% | 94% | 94% | 95% | 94% | 93% | 91% | 90% | 87% | 87% | 86% | 85% | 85% | 84% | 84% | 85% | 87% | 89% | 91% | 93% | 96% | 96% |
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UV
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- | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| Time | 00:00 | 01:00 | 04:00 | 07:00 | 10:00 | 13:00 | 16:00 | 19:00 | 22:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weather symbols |
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Chance of precipitation
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10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 40% | 20% | 30% |
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12°
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11°
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11°
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12°
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13°
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14°
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14°
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12°
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12°
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9° | 9° | 9° | 10° | 11° | 13° | 13° | 11° | 9° |
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SE
12
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SE
12
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SE
11
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SE
10
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SSE
9
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SE
8
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E
7
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NNE
8
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NNW
12
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19 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 19 |
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M | M | M | G | G | G | G | G | M |
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Humidity
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96% | 96% | 97% | 94% | 90% | 86% | 87% | 91% | 94% |
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UV
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- | - | - | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | - |
| Time | 01:00 | 04:00 | 07:00 | 10:00 | 13:00 | 16:00 | 19:00 | 22:00 |
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| Weather symbols |
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Chance of precipitation
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80% | 80% | 80% | 50% | 50% | 20% | 50% | 30% |
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11°
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10°
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10°
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10°
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11°
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11°
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11°
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10°
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8° | 7° | 6° | 6° | 7° | 7° | 7° | 7° |
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NNW
18
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NNW
22
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NNW
25
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N
25
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N
24
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N
22
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NNE
21
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NNE
19
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27 | 34 | 38 | 38 | 37 | 34 | 32 | 29 |
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M | M | G | G | G | G | G | G |
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Humidity
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94% | 92% | 87% | 82% | 79% | 79% | 80% | 84% |
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UV
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- | - | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - |
| Time | 01:00 | 04:00 | 07:00 | 10:00 | 13:00 | 16:00 | 19:00 | 22:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weather symbols |
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Chance of precipitation
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20% | 20% | 30% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | <5% |
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10°
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10°
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10°
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11°
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12°
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12°
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12°
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11°
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7° | 7° | 7° | 8° | 9° | 10° | 9° | 8° |
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NNE
18
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NE
17
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NE
17
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NE
16
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NE
15
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NE
15
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ENE
14
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SSE
12
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27 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 23 | 21 | 18 |
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G | G | G | G | G | G | G | G |
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Humidity
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86% | 90% | 90% | 87% | 85% | 84% | 86% | 91% |
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UV
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- | - | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | - |
| Time | 01:00 | 04:00 | 07:00 | 10:00 | 13:00 | 16:00 | 19:00 | 22:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weather symbols |
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Chance of precipitation
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<5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | 10% |
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10°
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10°
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11°
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12°
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13°
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13°
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13°
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12°
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8° | 8° | 9° | 10° | 11° | 11° | 10° | 9° |
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SSE
11
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SSE
11
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NE
11
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SE
13
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SE
14
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SE
15
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SE
15
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SE
15
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17 | 16 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 |
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G | G | G | VG | VG | VG | VG | G |
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Humidity
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93% | 94% | 90% | 83% | 79% | 79% | 83% | 89% |
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UV
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- | - | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 1 | - |
| Time | 01:00 | 04:00 | 07:00 | 10:00 | 13:00 | 16:00 | 19:00 | 22:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weather symbols |
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Chance of precipitation
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<5% | <5% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 20% | 20% |
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11°
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11°
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12°
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13°
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13°
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13°
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13°
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11°
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9° | 9° | 9° | 11° | 11° | 11° | 10° | 9° |
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SSE
14
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SSE
13
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SSE
13
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S
13
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S
13
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WSW
12
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W
12
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WSW
11
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21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 16 |
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G | G | G | VG | VG | G | G | G |
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Humidity
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91% | 92% | 91% | 84% | 81% | 81% | 84% | 90% |
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UV
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- | - | 1 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 | - |
Our weather symbols tell you the weather conditions for any given hour in the day or night. This means that the symbol for 9am shows you what you will see from 9am to 10am.
Chance of precipitation represents how likely it is that rain (or other types of precipitation, such as sleet, snow, hail or drizzle) will fall from the sky at a certain time.
This number shows the air temperature for the time period. You can see the temperature in Celsius or Fahrenheit by using the dropdown menu.
Feels like temperature considers other factors, such as wind speed and humidity. This gives you a better idea of how the temperature will actually feel at the time.
Wind gust shows the highest wind speed that you should encounter at that time, as winds peak and lull.
Strong winds are shown in bold for speeds of 29 mph or more.
The arrow shows the direction the wind is blowing. The letters show the direction the wind is blowing from (on a standard 16-point compass).
The number represents the average wind speed expected at that time.
The arrow shows the direction of the wind (up is north). If the arrow points from land to sea, the wind will be blowing out to sea (‘offshore’). The number is the average wind speed.
Beware of offshore winds if you are using inflatables, paddle boards or kayaks. These winds can blow you out to sea. Read more about how wind will affect you at the beach.
Visibility measures the distance at which an object can be clearly seen.
| VP (Very Poor) | Less than 1 km |
| P (Poor) | 1.1 km to 4 km |
| M (Moderate) | 4.1 km to 10 km |
| G (Good) | 10.1 km to 20 km |
| VG (Very Good) | 20.1 km to 40 km |
| E (Excellent) | Greater than 40 km |
Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. If there is a lot of water vapour, the humidity will be high. The higher the percentage of humidity, the wetter it will feel outside.
UV exposure index and the protection required to help keep you safe:
No risk of UV - It’s safe to stay outside. Low - You can safely stay outside. Consider sunscreen in direct sunlight. Moderate - Take care during midday hours and do not spend too much time in the sun unprotected. Sunscreen advised. High - Seek shade during midday hours, cover up and wear sunscreen. Very high - Spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm. Shirt, sunscreen and hat are essential. Extreme - Avoid being outside during midday hours. Shirt, sunscreen and hat essential.
This is the average height of the waves, 1-2 miles out to sea. The height of the waves can vary. The individual waves out to sea or at the beach can be higher than this number. If you are close to the water, keep an eye on the waves to stop you or your belongings being swept away.
Read more about calculating the expected height of the waves at the beach.
This is the average number of seconds between one wave and the next, 1-2 miles out to sea. A long wave period (more than 10 seconds) means the waves at the beach may be more powerful. Lifeguards can give you advice on waves if you’re planning to go into the water.
Read more about the period of waves.
The arrow shows the average direction of the waves 1-2 miles out to sea. It indicates how sheltered the beach will be from these waves. If the arrow points towards land, most of the waves’ power will reach the beach. If the arrow is parallel to or pointing away from land, the wave height is likely to be lower on the beach than it is offshore.
Lifeguards can give you advice on waves if you’re planning to go into the water.
Forecast row information
UK video forecast
Orkney & Shetland weather forecast
Headline:
Largely sunny today.
Today:
Some cloud around at first over Orkney but soon lifting and clearing to leave a good deal of sunshine across the Northern Isles. East or southeasterly breeze. Maximum temperature 15 °C.
Tonight:
It will remain dry with clear skies through this evening and overnight but some haar reaching Orkney by morning. Southeasterly breeze. Minimum temperature 9 °C.
Tuesday:
Haar potentially affecting Orkney throughout Tuesday. Dry and sunny for Shetland but with increasing southeasterly winds. Maximum temperature 18 °C.
Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:
Cloudy with some showers on Wednesday, heavy rain arriving from the south into the evening. Showers or longer spells of rain on Thursday. Cloudy but mostly dry on Friday.
Updated:
UK long range weather forecast
Most likely an unsettled start to the period with showers in the west and perhaps longer periods of rain in the northeast, although still some settled weather in between. Over the bank holiday weekend a band of rain likely to arrive from the west, becoming weaker as it moves east and becoming more showery in nature with scattered showers also following. Into the new week increasingly settled conditions more likely for most, though rain may threaten north-western areas whilst some southern or eastern areas occasionally less settled with showers more likely later in the period though there will be some sunshine between them, the best of this in south-western parts. Temperatures are likely to be a little above average, but some large spatial differences are likely.
Updated:
Relatively weak signals for conditions to be markedly different from climatology through the first half of June. That said, both temperatures and rainfall are more-likely to be a little above average overall, with further rain or showers (possibly heavy/thundery at times) but also some spells of warm sunshine.
Updated:
