Why does Scotland get so much rain?

Answer 1

It doesn't always rain in Scotland, but it does rain a lot and it certainly rains more in Scotland than in other parts of the UK. Scotland rarely suffers from droughts and have many fresh water supplies in the hills.

Wet weather in the UK and Ireland is generally caused by warm wet air from the Gulf Stream heading east. When it hits land - and especially mountains - the moisture falls as rain. So the west coast of Ireland, the North West of England, the South West of England, the west coast of Wales and the North West of Scotland are generally places with higher than average rainfall. However places in the east of the UK are generally in the rain shadow of mountains and hills (such as the Pennines) and are dryer than average. The east of Scotland is a dry area - rainfall in Edinburgh is the same as in London. There are a few places - such as the East Anglian coast - that are dryer still, but the east of Scotland is a pretty low rainfall area. The town of North Berwick, which is about 25 miles east of Edinburgh became a fashionable seaside resort in the 19th century because of the dry climate.

The idea that it rains everyday mostly comes from areas where it's likely to see a rain shower every few days. The rain also doesn't mean that it's always cold, even during the summer months when temperatures are higher it can rain. Often, after a period without rain there will be a very heavy shower due to the build up.

Answer 2

According to the the UK's National Weather Service (The Met Office) the average annual rainfall in Scotland (from 1971 - 2000) varies from less than 600 mm per year to over 3000 mm depending on the specific location. In general average rainfall decreases from west to east. A contour plot of average annual rainfall is available on their website.

Average yearly data for the whole of Scotland is also available and from 2004 - 2008 is summarised below:

Year - Annual Rainfall (mm)

2004 - 1696.7
2005 - 1592.6
2006 - 1657.1
2007 - 1585.0
2008 - 1720.0

Which would give a five year average of 1650.3 mm / year.

Please see related links for sources of data and further information.

Answer 3

I come from Scotland and personally it feels like it rains everyday of the year. There is a drizzle almost always everyday. During the Summer, shockingly it can get pretty hot. But that is rather random to occur.

MONTEZ22: Actually it depends on where you live in Scotland. It actually doesn rain often.

Answer 4

Scotland has it's fair share of rainfall, but It averages 550mm per year, which is less than Sydney and Barcelona.

Answer 5

Glenfinnan and Grrenock vie for the honour.

Answer 6

It depends on the population. More Scots produce more humid air.

Answer 7

because of its sea side location

Answer 8

250