Scotland Midge Forecast · Orkney & Shetland

Stromness (Orkney) Midge Forecast

7-day and hour-by-hour midge forecast for Stromness (Orkney), with the best time to be outdoors.

Updated 21:20 · refreshed every 3 hours

Midge map Today

Midge forecast map of ScotlandShetland
  • Very Low0–19
  • Low20–39
  • Moderate40–59
  • High60–79
  • Very High80–100

Midge kit

Midge protection essentials

Midge levels look low around Stromness (Orkney) this week, but a still, damp evening changes everything. These live in our rucksack from May to September.

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7-day midge forecast for Stromness (Orkney)

DayMidge levelWorst hourBest time outdoorsDuskTempWindRain
Today26 Sep 7Very Low 18:00 07:00–21:00 8 19:02 11–14°C 10–17 mph 3 mm
Tomorrow27 Sep 2Very Low 07:00 07:00–21:00 2 18:59 10–14°C 12–21 mph 9 mm
Monday28 Sep 9Very Low 19:00 07:00–21:00 13 18:56 10–13°C 8–18 mph 0.1 mm
Tuesday29 Sep 2Very Low 04:00 07:00–21:00 0 18:53 11–13°C 13–24 mph 0.1 mm
Wednesday30 Sep 6Very Low 23:00 07:00–21:00 0 18:50 13–16°C 7–26 mph 4.4 mm
Thursday1 Oct 13Very Low 06:00 07:00–21:00 11 18:47 10–15°C 6–10 mph 0 mm
Friday2 Oct 3Very Low 06:00 07:00–21:00 0 18:44 10–15°C 11–15 mph 1.6 mm

Nearby places

Midges vary a lot over short distances. Here is the forecast nearby for Today.

Midges in Orkney & Shetland

The Northern Isles are famously kind to midge-dodgers. Constant wind, few trees and lots of open ground keep numbers low, so Orkney and Shetland are usually among the best places in Scotland to escape midges, although sheltered spots can still bite on rare still, muggy evenings.

Midge hotspots

  • Sheltered valleys such as Hoy's glens on calm evenings

Where to escape them

  • Almost anywhere with a breeze: cliffs, beaches and the Orkney mainland

See the full Orkney & Shetland midge forecast

When are midges worst in Orkney & Shetland?

The typical midge level week by week, from our model run over 2023, 2024, 2025 weather at Kirkwall (Orkney).

Midgiest weeks: w/c 27 Jul, w/c 20 Jul, w/c 31 Aug.

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Stromness (Orkney) midge FAQ

Are the midges bad in Stromness (Orkney) right now?

Today's forecast for Stromness (Orkney) is Very Low (7/100). Best time outdoors: 07:00–21:00. The forecast updates every three hours.

When is midge season in Stromness (Orkney)?

As across most of Scotland, midges in Orkney & Shetland are usually active from late May until September, peaking in July and August. Calm, damp, overcast evenings are the worst.

Where can I avoid midges in Orkney & Shetland?

Head for breezy, open ground. Local options include: Almost anywhere with a breeze: cliffs, beaches and the Orkney mainland. Midges struggle to fly in more than a light breeze.