Shetland Islands in May

May through August offers the warmest weather and longest days. In June, the sun sets after 11 PM and rises before 4 AM - locals call this endless twilight the 'simmer dim.' Temperatures reach a heady 15°C on good days. But here's the thing about Shetland weather: it changes hourly. Pack for four seasons regardless of when you visit. The islands sit in the path of Atlantic storms, and wind speeds regularly hit 40 mph. Winter brings the Northern Lights and Up Helly Aa, Europe's largest fire festival. January temperatures hover around 3°C, but the Gulf Stream keeps it milder than you'd expect this far north. Just expect only 6 hours of daylight. Bird watchers should time visits around migration seasons - May for arrivals, August for departures. Puffins nest from May to July on cliffs around Sumburgh Head and Fair Isle.