Best time to visit St Andrews
Re-score for me — drag the dial — every chart on the page recolours live for your heat limit 27°C
Default 27 °C is the upper edge of the Holiday Climate Index "ideal comfort" band (Scott, Rutty, Amelung & Tang, 2016). Above this, most warm-tourism travellers report measurable discomfort.
How is this scored? HCI / Steadman / CCI gate — full methodology and citations below.
Compare with another destination
Add as many as you like — stacked below the main strips above. Each row is just the recent-window score strip and (for beach destinations) sea-temperature strip.
Tours in St Andrews
23 top-rated tours via Viator. Booking links earn this site a commission at no cost to you. Map locations are approximate (centred on St Andrews).
- 1
St Andrews Must-Sees Daily Walking Tour (11am & 2pm) - 2
St Andrews Tours: Town, Golf and Old Course History - 3
St Andrews Private Day Tour - 4
Kingdom of Fife & St Andrews Full-Day Guided Private Tour in a Premium Minivan - 5
Coastal Charms: St Andrews & Kingdom of Fife Private Day Tour - 6
St Andrews, Fife Coast Walk & Historic Abbey Tour from Edinburgh - 7
St Andrews, Kingdom of Fife & Fishing Villages – Private Day Tour - 8
Private St. Andrews Tour with Dedicated Local Guide - 9
St Andrews Private Day Guided Tour-Personalised & Bespoke - 10
Stirling, distillery, St Andrews 1 Day in Spanish from Edinburgh - 11
St Andrews: The Ultimate Bike and E Bike Tour - See Much More - 12
St Andrews Walking Tours - 13
The Original St Andrews Photo Shoot Tour - 14
Private Historic Walking Tour in St. Andrews Old Town - 15
Edinburgh to St Andrews private driving tour - 16
St Andrews & Old Course Private Day Tour from Glasgow - 17
Private St Andrews Dark Side Tour - 18
A Wee Walk and a Cocktail in St. Andrews - 19
St Andrews, Kingdom of Fife & Fishing Villages – Private Day Tour - 20
Rebels, Romance & Raisins St. Andrew's Walking Audio Tour - 21
Private St Andrews Town, Golf and Old Course Walking Tour - 22
St Andrews and Edinburgh Private Day Guided Tour Personalized - 23
St Andrews, Kingdom of Fife & Fishing Villages – Private Day Tour
Last refreshed 2026-08-13.
Similar climatesEdinburgh95% · York94% · Chester93%
Other destinations with the most-alike year-round climate to St Andrews (apparent temperature, rain hours, sunshine — matched within the same trip-profile). The ±N chip compares each match's typical score for the current month against St Andrews's. Based on the 2020-2024 climatology, not this year's actual weather.
Month-by-month
| Month | Temp °C | Feels °C | Rain days | Rain h | Rain h/day | Humidity | Wind km/h | Sun h | UV | Interest | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2–7 | 2 | 12 | 127 | 10.6 | 82% | 28 | 88 | — | Quiet | 4 |
| Feb | 3–8 | 3 | 14 | 170 | 12.1 | 76% | 31 | 108 | 1 | Quiet | 4 |
| Mar | 3–9 | 5 | 15 | 165 | 11.0 | 73% | 26 | 165 | 1 | Quiet | 4 |
| Apr | 4–10 | 7 | 10 | 124 | 12.4 | 68% | 23 | 213 | 3 | Quiet | 5 |
| May | 8–14 | 11 | 13 | 153 | 11.8 | 72% | 22 | 239 | 4 | Quiet | 6 |
| Jun | 11–17 | 14 | 11 | 124 | 11.3 | 68% | 22 | 258 | 4 | Moderate | 7 |
| Jul | 12–18 | 17 | 15 | 171 | 11.4 | 69% | 21 | 249 | 4 | Peak | 6 |
| Aug | 12–18 | 16 | 11 | 149 | 13.5 | 69% | 22 | 237 | 3 | Moderate | 7 |
| Sep | 11–16 | 14 | 12 | 124 | 10.3 | 72% | 23 | 178 | 2 | Moderate | 7 |
| Oct | 8–13 | 10 | 17 | 202 | 11.9 | 77% | 27 | 120 | 1 | Quiet | 4 |
| Nov | 5–10 | 6 | 12 | 121 | 10.1 | 82% | 25 | 92 | — | Quiet | 4 |
| Dec | 3–7 | 3 | 17 | 185 | 10.9 | 84% | 27 | 59 | — | Quiet | 3 |
UV Index in St Andrews by Month
UV index in St Andrews peaks at 4 (moderate) in June, dropping to 0 (low) in January.
Best months in detail
June
7/1011–17°C (feels 14°C) · 11 rain days (124h) · 258 sun hours · 68% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 4 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 6 (moderate)
August
7/1012–18°C (feels 16°C) · 11 rain days (149h) · 237 sun hours · 69% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 3 (moderate)
September
7/1011–16°C (feels 14°C) · 12 rain days (124h) · 178 sun hours · 72% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 2 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 3 (moderate)
Every month
Show the other 9 months in detail
January
4/102–7°C (feels 2°C) · 12 rain days (127h) · 88 sun hours · 82% humidity · Quiet crowd
February
4/103–8°C (feels 3°C) · 14 rain days (170h) · 108 sun hours · 76% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
March
4/103–9°C (feels 5°C) · 15 rain days (165h) · 165 sun hours · 73% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
April
5/104–10°C (feels 7°C) · 10 rain days (124h) · 213 sun hours · 68% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 3 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 4 (moderate)
May
6/108–14°C (feels 11°C) · 13 rain days (153h) · 239 sun hours · 72% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 4 (moderate)
July
6/1012–18°C (feels 17°C) · 15 rain days (171h) · 249 sun hours · 69% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 4 (moderate)
October
4/108–13°C (feels 10°C) · 17 rain days (202h) · 120 sun hours · 77% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
November
4/105–10°C (feels 6°C) · 12 rain days (121h) · 92 sun hours · 82% humidity · Quiet crowd
December
3/103–7°C (feels 3°C) · 17 rain days (185h) · 59 sun hours · 84% humidity · Quiet crowd
Frequently asked questions about visiting St Andrews
When is the best time to visit St Andrews?
June is the highest-scoring month (7/10 on the Holiday Climate Index). Typical conditions: 11–17°C (11 rainy days). The top three months by score are June, August, September.
What is the worst time to visit St Andrews?
December is the lowest-scoring month (3/10). Typical conditions: 3–7°C (17 rainy days).
When are crowds lowest in St Andrews?
Search-interest seasonality (Google Trends 2021-2025) is lowest in December and peaks in July. Interest tracks both in-trip visitors and lead-time planners, so treat it as a "destination is on people's minds" signal rather than literal arrivals.
Which months in St Andrews have good weather but fewer tourists?
June (climate 7/10, crowd index 41) and May (climate 6/10, crowd index 26) — shoulder months with above-average climate and below-median search-interest. Often the best value-for-weather trade.
What is the UV index in St Andrews by month?
UV peaks at 4 (moderate) in June and is lowest in January at 0 (low). Monthly peak values: Jan —, Feb 1, Mar 1, Apr 3, May 4, Jun 4, Jul 4, Aug 3, Sep 2, Oct 1, Nov —, Dec —.
What is the UV index in St Andrews in June?
June is the peak UV month in St Andrews, with a daily-peak UV index of 4 (moderate). Standard sun protection — sunglasses and light SPF — is recommended.
How high can UV get in St Andrews on the sunniest days?
Most days look like the monthly average, but on the sunniest ~1 in 10 days UV climbs higher than the mean suggests. June is the worst case: typical days average UV 4 (moderate), but the top 10% of days reach UV 6 (moderate) — and even higher. Months where the sunniest days routinely exceed the typical reading: April, June, September. Plan sun protection for the worst case, not the average.