Erick Burgueño Salas
Research expert covering climate change and the water industry
Get in touch with us nowAnnual rainfall in Scotland 1994-2023
Scotland has seen its annual rainfall vary since 1994, though it usually received more than 1,500 millimeters of rain per year. However, in 2003 the recorded rainfall amounted to 1,207 millimeters, which was the lowest during this period. Rainfall peaked in 2011 at 1,863 millimeters. In 2023, annual rainfall totals reached 1,574 millimeters.
Wet end to the year
The wettest months in Scotland tend to be those at the end of each year, with December of 2015 recording higher than normal levels of rain at 324 millimeters. That same month there was an average of 25.4 raindays. Raindays are defined as those where more than 1mm of rain falls.
Why is it so wet in Scotland?
With its mountainous landscape, it is no coincidence that on average it is Scotland that receives the most annual rain in the UK. The wettest parts of the UK are generally in mountainous regions, with the Western Highlands prone to high levels of rain. Here, rainfall can be 3,000 millimeters per year. However, the East of Scotland can see levels as low as 800 millimeters. This is often due to rainfall from the Atlantic weather systems coming in from the West and as these systems move east, rain deposits reduce.
Wet end to the year
The wettest months in Scotland tend to be those at the end of each year, with December of 2015 recording higher than normal levels of rain at 324 millimeters. That same month there was an average of 25.4 raindays. Raindays are defined as those where more than 1mm of rain falls.
Why is it so wet in Scotland?
With its mountainous landscape, it is no coincidence that on average it is Scotland that receives the most annual rain in the UK. The wettest parts of the UK are generally in mountainous regions, with the Western Highlands prone to high levels of rain. Here, rainfall can be 3,000 millimeters per year. However, the East of Scotland can see levels as low as 800 millimeters. This is often due to rainfall from the Atlantic weather systems coming in from the West and as these systems move east, rain deposits reduce.
