Editing Shetland (section)

=== Climate ===
[[File:Starry Nights IMG 5868 (23146012374).jpg|thumb|right|250px|Aurora in [[Scatness]]]]
Shetland has an oceanic temperate maritime climate ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Cfb''), bordering on, but very slightly above average in summer temperatures, the [[Oceanic climate#Subpolar variety (Cfc, Cwc)|subpolar]] variety, with long but cool winters and short warm summers. The climate all year round is moderate owing to the influence of the surrounding seas, with average night-time low temperatures a little above {{cvt|1|°C}} in January and February and average daytime high temperatures of near {{cvt|14|°C}} in July and August.<ref name="climatetemp">[https://www.shetland.climatemps.com/index.php "Shetland, Scotland Climate"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118230502/https://www.shetland.climatemps.com/index.php|date=18 November 2018}} climatetemp.info, Retrieved 6 January 2018</ref> The highest temperature on record was {{cvt|27.8|°C}} on 6 August 1910 at [[Sumburgh Head]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://digital.nmla.metoffice.gov.uk/IO_a79cbb0f-7016-4c69-9dd4-4afcb1eb9039/|title=MWR_1910 &#124; Met Office UA|website=digital.nmla.metoffice.gov.uk|access-date=25 May 2021|archive-date=25 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525133825/https://digital.nmla.metoffice.gov.uk/IO_a79cbb0f-7016-4c69-9dd4-4afcb1eb9039/|url-status=live}}</ref> and the lowest {{cvt|-8.9|°C}} in the Januaries of 1952 and 1959.<ref name="SIC200505">Shetland Islands Council (2005), pp. 5–9</ref> The frost-free period may be as little as three months.<ref>[https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/regional-climates/ns "Northern Scotland: climate"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180107120102/https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/regional-climates/ns |date=7 January 2018 }}, Met office, Retrieved 6 January 2018</ref> In contrast, inland areas of nearby [[Scandinavia]] on similar latitudes experience significantly larger temperature differences between summer and winter, with the average highs of regular July days comparable to Lerwick's all-time record heat that is around {{cvt|23|°C}}, further demonstrating the moderating effect of the Atlantic Ocean. In contrast, winters are considerably milder than those expected in nearby continental areas, even comparable to winter temperatures of many parts of England and Wales much further south.

The general character of the climate is windy, cloudy and often wet, with at least {{cvt|2|mm|2}} of rain falling on more than 250 days a year. Average yearly [[precipitation (meteorology)|precipitation]] is {{cvt|1252|mm}}, with November through January the wettest months, averaging 5.6 to 5.9 inches of precipitation, mostly rain. Snowfall is usually confined to the period November to February, and snow seldom lies on the ground for more than a day. Relatively less rain falls from April to July, although on average, no month receives less than {{cvt|50|mm}}. [[Fog]] is common during summer due to the cooling effect of the sea on mild southerly airflows.<ref name="climatetemp"/><ref name="SIC200505"/>

Because of the islands' [[latitude]], on clear winter nights the [[aurora borealis|northern lights]] can sometimes be seen in the sky, while in summer there is almost [[twilight#Duration|perpetual daylight]], a state of affairs known locally as the "simmer<!-- sic --> dim".<ref>[http://visit.shetland.org/climate "The Climate of Shetland"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120408081839/http://visit.shetland.org/climate |date=8 April 2012 }}, Visit Shetland, Retrieved 11 May 2012</ref> Annual bright sunshine averages 1110 hours, and overcast days are common.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19812010/sites/lerwick.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20160124155928/http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19812010/sites/lerwick.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 January 2016|title=Lerwick climate information|publisher=Met Office|access-date=5 August 2015}}</ref>

{{Weather box
|location = Shetland Isles (S. Screen),{{efn|Weather station is located {{convert|1.7|mi|1|abbr=out}} from the Lerwick port centre.}} elevation {{convert|82|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1930–present
|collapsed =
|metric first = y
|single line = y
|Jan record high C = 12.8
|Feb record high C = 11.7
|Mar record high C = 13.3
|Apr record high C = 16.1
|May record high C = 20.7
|Jun record high C = 22.2
|Jul record high C = 23.4
|Aug record high C = 22.1
|Sep record high C = 19.4
|Oct record high C = 17.2
|Nov record high C = 13.9
|Dec record high C = 12.6
|Jan high C = 6.1
|Feb high C = 5.8
|Mar high C = 6.7
|Apr high C = 8.3
|May high C = 10.6
|Jun high C = 12.6
|Jul high C = 14.4
|Aug high C = 14.7
|Sep high C = 13.0
|Oct high C = 10.4
|Nov high C = 8.1
|Dec high C = 6.6
|year high C = 9.8
|Jan mean C = 4.1
|Feb mean C = 3.8
|Mar mean C = 4.6
|Apr mean C = 6.1
|May mean C = 8.1
|Jun mean C = 10.3
|Jul mean C = 12.2
|Aug mean C = 12.6
|Sep mean C = 11.1
|Oct mean C = 8.5
|Nov mean C = 6.2
|Dec mean C = 4.5
|year mean C = 7.7
|Jan low C = 2.2
|Feb low C = 1.8
|Mar low C = 2.4
|Apr low C = 3.8
|May low C = 5.6
|Jun low C = 8.1
|Jul low C = 10.1
|Aug low C = 10.5
|Sep low C = 9.1
|Oct low C = 6.6
|Nov low C = 4.3
|Dec low C = 2.5
|year low C = 5.3
|Jan record low C = -8.9
|Feb record low C = -7.4
|Mar record low C = -8.3
|Apr record low C = -5.7
|May record low C = -2.2
|Jun record low C = -0.6
|Jul record low C = 3.5
|Aug record low C = 2.8
|Aug record low F = 37.0
|Sep record low C = -0.6
|Oct record low C = -3.3
|Nov record low C = -5.7
|Dec record low C = -8.2
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 150.4
|Feb precipitation mm = 122.7
|Mar precipitation mm = 109.2
|Apr precipitation mm = 67.8
|May precipitation mm = 56.9
|Jun precipitation mm = 59.8
|Jul precipitation mm = 67.7
|Aug precipitation mm = 88.6
|Sep precipitation mm = 105.8
|Oct precipitation mm = 130.6
|Nov precipitation mm = 143.2
|Dec precipitation mm = 149.7
|year precipitation mm = 1252.3
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 22.0
|Feb precipitation days = 19.2
|Mar precipitation days = 19.3
|Apr precipitation days = 14.7
|May precipitation days = 11.7
|Jun precipitation days = 11.5
|Jul precipitation days = 12.1
|Aug precipitation days = 13.1
|Sep precipitation days = 16.1
|Oct precipitation days = 20.3
|Nov precipitation days = 21.5
|Dec precipitation days = 22.6
|year precipitation days = 204.1
|Jan snow days = 10
|Feb snow days = 9
|Mar snow days = 9
|Apr snow days = 5
|May snow days = 1
|Jun snow days = 0
|Jul snow days = 0
|Aug snow days = 0
|Sep snow days = 0
|Oct snow days = 1
|Nov snow days = 5
|Dec snow days = 8
|year snow days = 48
|Jan humidity = 87
|Feb humidity = 86
|Mar humidity = 86
|Apr humidity = 87
|May humidity = 88
|Jun humidity = 89
|Jul humidity = 90
|Aug humidity = 91
|Sep humidity = 90
|Oct humidity = 89
|Nov humidity = 87
|Dec humidity = 87
|year humidity = 89
|Jan sun = 27.4
|Feb sun = 57.6
|Mar sun = 97.7
|Apr sun = 141.2
|May sun = 191.9
|Jun sun = 147.7
|Jul sun = 128.6
|Aug sun = 132.4
|Sep sun = 99.5
|Oct sun = 75.1
|Nov sun = 38.3
|Dec sun = 20.6
|year sun = 1158.0
|source 1 = [[Met Office]]<ref name ="Met Averages">{{cite web
| url = https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-climate-averages/gfxnj5fx4
| title = Lerwick (S. Screen) (Shetland Islands) UK climate averages
| publisher = Met Office
| access-date = 1 January 2022}}</ref> [[NOAA]] (relative humidity and snow days 1961–1990)<ref name="NOAA">{{cite web
| url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/RA-VI/UK/03005.TXT
| title = Lerwick 1961–1990
| publisher = NOAA
| access-date = 30 January 2016}}</ref>
|source 2 = [[Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute|KNMI]]<ref>{{cite web| url =http://eca.knmi.nl/indicesextremes/customquerytimeseriesplots.php| title =Manchester ringway extreme values| access-date =30 January 2016| publisher =[[KNMI (institute)|KNMI]]| archive-date =2 February 2018| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20180202192334/http://eca.knmi.nl/indicesextremes/customquerytimeseriesplots.php| url-status =dead}}</ref>}}
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