St Andrews Weather And Best Time To Visit St Andrews

One of the most idyllic regions in Scotland and the world-famous ‘home of golf’, St. Andrews is a seaside town located on the east coast of Fife Peninsula. St. Andrews continues to draw thousands of tourists each year for its many impressive golf courses, stunning coastlines and majestic historic buildings. During peak season between the months of May to September, the town is overrun with golf visitors and St. Andrews transforms from a sleepy seaside town into a thriving hub of activity and excitement. The weather in St. Andrews is much like the rest of Scotland; unpredictable with chances of rain that last all year long. To learn more about the different seasons in this ancient town, here is our list of the best times to visit St. Andrews. 

These are the warmest months of the year and also the busiest. The temperatures average around 17-18⁰C, which brings in large crowds of tourists who visit to enjoy the amazing weather and golfing opportunities in St. Andrews during the summers. Due to its high latitude, the number of daylight hours in summers is also exceptional; visitors can expect sunsets to occur after 10 pm. The extra hours of daylight also allow for more golfing opportunities and tea times during the early evenings. Travellers should keep in mind that hotel rates are normally hiked up during this peak season and bookings should be made well in advance.

Spring and autumn are great shoulder seasons to visit St. Andrews, and also very similar to each other here. The best part about visiting in spring is the relatively fewer chances of rainfall as compared to the rest of the year; April is the driest month of the year. Temperatures during spring and autumn season range between 7⁰C to 14⁰C and the weather is generally warm enough to still enjoy the local attractions.

Another highlight of these seasons is the variety of different shades that are dispersed all over the region. The vibrant colours of spring and the changing shades of autumn foliage create a wonderful spectacle that is a delight to explore. Since May is on the edge of high season and the tourist crowds begin to disperse around October, spring and autumn are also the best seasons to visit for those who want to avoid the large tourist crowds.

Wintertime is particularly cold in St. Andrews and not a great time to plan a trip. The maximum average temperature rarely ever goes above 5⁰C and snow can be quite common as well. While a lot of places shut down for winters, some hotels that do remain open offer great deals to travellers looking to enjoy the winter scenes and relaxing in front of roaring log fires. Golfing enthusiasts should keep in mind that if they plan to visit in winters, early morning tee times may be delayed due to morning frost. The Old Course, in particular, cancels tee times due to frost-delays. Since the days are also considerably shorter, there are fewer tee times available in some golf courses that do remain open for winters.