Tourist Seasons

Glasgow, situated along the River Clyde, is the largest city with the highest population in Scotland. All year around the tourism industry is booming, so be ready for hoards of international visitors. The major tourist season occurs from early spring to late summer, although around Christmas and the New Year, there are an exceptional amount of people as well. Mid July and August sees the most British tourists, as that is the time when the British have their yearly holidays. These crowded times are the worst to visit; Even though the weather is warmer and more comfortable, the high prices and competition for hotels and attractions will make your trip much less comfortable.

From October to April is probably the best time to go to Glasgow, obviously excluding the winter holidays. There are fewer tourists, prices go down, and everything is less hectic, in general. The weather is a bit colder and rainier, but there are lots of activities and attractions that are inside anyways such as museums, historical sites, distilleries, theaters, concert halls, bars, restaurants, and botanic gardens with indoor exhibits.

Weather Patterns

Surprisingly, Glasgow is located at the same latitude as Moscow, but the seasons are much milder due to the warming Gulf Stream Drift that blows off the Atlantic Ocean. The city has an Oceanic Climate with quick changes in the weather every day and rare bouts of extreme temperatures. Clouds dominate the skies more than in any other Scottish city, but Glasgow stays warmer than any other city in the country as well, as it is protected from the cold by the Clyde Valley Hills to the North and Southwest.

Spring is from March to May. It is the greenest season, when the snow melts, and the flowers bloom, making the many gardens in Glasgow a pleasure to visit. Temperatures range from 40 to 60 degrees Farenheit. It is a good season to visit the gardens around historical sites such as Mount Stuart House and the Glasgow Brodick Castle. In summer, from May to September, temperatures rise to the 60s and sometimes the 70s. Humidity is high and mornings are misty and damp. Warm winds blow in from the Atlantic Ocean and there are more sunny days than any other time of year. The warmest month is July.

In Autumn, the temperatures drop again to how they were in springtime. Fall days are mostly overcast with rainy drizzle. Winter is cold and snow is normal, although it generally melts in the city center. Temperatures drop to single digits. December, January, and February are the wettest months.