Orkney weather in September
In September, Orkney sees average daytime highs of 27°C and overnight lows near 10°C, with 15 mm of rain across 3 wet days and about 11.8 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.
Highs climb over the month, from about 25°C in the first days to 28°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 73% of the time in September, and the air most often feels dry.
Daylight stretches from about 11 h 24 min at the start of September to 12 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, September is Orkney's 5th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Orkney's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 27°
- 7th warmest
- Overnight low
- 10°
- 5th coldest
- Rainfall
- 15 mm
- 3 wet days
- Daylight
- 11 h 48 min
- 6:12 AM – 6:03 PM
- Cloud cover
- 24%
- 5th clearest
- Wind
- 12 km/h
- 3rd windiest
- Solar energy
- 6.14 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 8.3
- out of 10
Orkney is town in North West province, South Africa.
- Founded
- 1940
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Temperature in September
Highs climb over the month, from about 25°C in the first days to 28°C by the end.
A typical September day in Orkney reaches about 27°C in the afternoon and slips back to 10°C overnight — a 16°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°C and 31°C. Set against its neighbours, September runs about 4°C warmer than August and about 2°C cooler than October.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
| Avg low (°C) | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 | 8 |
| 2 | 25 | 8 |
| 3 | 25 | 9 |
| 4 | 25 | 9 |
| 5 | 26 | 9 |
| 6 | 26 | 9 |
| 7 | 26 | 9 |
| 8 | 26 | 9 |
| 9 | 26 | 10 |
| 10 | 26 | 10 |
| 11 | 26 | 10 |
| 12 | 27 | 10 |
| 13 | 27 | 10 |
| 14 | 27 | 10 |
| 15 | 27 | 11 |
| 16 | 27 | 11 |
| 17 | 27 | 11 |
| 18 | 27 | 11 |
| 19 | 27 | 11 |
| 20 | 27 | 11 |
| 21 | 27 | 11 |
| 22 | 27 | 11 |
| 23 | 27 | 12 |
| 24 | 27 | 12 |
| 25 | 27 | 12 |
| 26 | 28 | 12 |
| 27 | 28 | 12 |
| 28 | 28 | 12 |
| 29 | 28 | 12 |
| 30 | 28 | 12 |
How September really feels in Orkney
Once humidity and wind are folded in, September averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.
September sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Orkney weather by month
How September compares with the rest of the year at a glance. September is the 7th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29° / 18° | 97 | 14.4 | 13.5 | 4.9 |
| Feb | 29° / 17° | 77 | 12.3 | 13 | 5.4 |
| Mar | 27° / 15° | 68 | 10.8 | 12.2 | 6.5 |
| Apr | 25° / 12° | 40 | 6.9 | 11.4 | 7.8 |
| May | 23° / 7° | 19 | 3.1 | 10.7 | 8.6 |
| Jun | 20° / 3° | 10 | 1.5 | 10.3 | 8.3 |
| Jul | 20° / 3° | 5 | 0.9 | 10.5 | 8.5 |
| Aug | 23° / 6° | 12 | 1.7 | 11 | 9.0 |
| Sep | 27° / 10° | 15 | 3 | 11.8 | 8.3 |
| Oct | 28° / 14° | 60 | 9.4 | 12.6 | 6.4 |
| Nov | 29° / 15° | 73 | 11.3 | 13.3 | 5.5 |
| Dec | 30° / 17° | 99 | 14.9 | 13.7 | 4.8 |
Cloud cover in September
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 73% of the time in September.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of September, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 14%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 91 | 91 | 91 | 90 | 90 | 89 | 89 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 87 | 86 | 86 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 84 | 84 | 84 | 84 | 84 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 82 |
| Cloudier (%) | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 91 | 9 |
| 2 | 91 | 9 |
| 3 | 91 | 9 |
| 4 | 90 | 10 |
| 5 | 90 | 10 |
| 6 | 89 | 11 |
| 7 | 89 | 11 |
| 8 | 88 | 12 |
| 9 | 88 | 12 |
| 10 | 88 | 12 |
| 11 | 87 | 13 |
| 12 | 86 | 14 |
| 13 | 86 | 14 |
| 14 | 85 | 15 |
| 15 | 85 | 15 |
| 16 | 85 | 15 |
| 17 | 85 | 15 |
| 18 | 85 | 15 |
| 19 | 85 | 15 |
| 20 | 85 | 15 |
| 21 | 85 | 15 |
| 22 | 84 | 16 |
| 23 | 84 | 16 |
| 24 | 84 | 16 |
| 25 | 84 | 16 |
| 26 | 84 | 16 |
| 27 | 83 | 17 |
| 28 | 83 | 17 |
| 29 | 83 | 17 |
| 30 | 82 | 18 |
Chance of precipitation in September
Orkney gets around 15 mm of rain over 3 wet days in September. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 11% and peaks near 19% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 8 |
| 2 | 8 |
| 3 | 8 |
| 4 | 8 |
| 5 | 8 |
| 6 | 8 |
| 7 | 8 |
| 8 | 8 |
| 9 | 8 |
| 10 | 8 |
| 11 | 8 |
| 12 | 8 |
| 13 | 9 |
| 14 | 9 |
| 15 | 9 |
| 16 | 9 |
| 17 | 10 |
| 18 | 10 |
| 19 | 11 |
| 20 | 11 |
| 21 | 12 |
| 22 | 12 |
| 23 | 13 |
| 24 | 14 |
| 25 | 14 |
| 26 | 15 |
| 27 | 16 |
| 28 | 17 |
| 29 | 18 |
| 30 | 19 |
Humidity in September
Most of September feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
By dew point, September lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 98 | 98 |
| Comfortable (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 | 0 |
| 2 | 100 | 0 |
| 3 | 100 | 0 |
| 4 | 100 | 0 |
| 5 | 100 | 0 |
| 6 | 100 | 0 |
| 7 | 100 | 0 |
| 8 | 100 | 0 |
| 9 | 100 | 0 |
| 10 | 100 | 0 |
| 11 | 100 | 0 |
| 12 | 100 | 0 |
| 13 | 100 | 0 |
| 14 | 100 | 0 |
| 15 | 100 | 0 |
| 16 | 100 | 0 |
| 17 | 100 | 0 |
| 18 | 100 | 0 |
| 19 | 100 | 0 |
| 20 | 100 | 0 |
| 21 | 100 | 0 |
| 22 | 100 | 0 |
| 23 | 100 | 0 |
| 24 | 99 | 1 |
| 25 | 99 | 1 |
| 26 | 99 | 1 |
| 27 | 99 | 1 |
| 28 | 99 | 1 |
| 29 | 98 | 2 |
| 30 | 98 | 2 |
Wind in September
Winds average 12 km/h in September.
Across September, daily wind ranges from about 12 km/h on the calmest days to 12 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Feels | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | calm |
| 2 | 12 | calm |
| 3 | 12 | calm |
| 4 | 12 | calm |
| 5 | 12 | calm |
| 6 | 12 | calm |
| 7 | 12 | calm |
| 8 | 12 | calm |
| 9 | 12 | calm |
| 10 | 12 | light breeze |
| 11 | 12 | light breeze |
| 12 | 12 | light breeze |
| 13 | 12 | light breeze |
| 14 | 12 | light breeze |
| 15 | 12 | light breeze |
| 16 | 12 | light breeze |
| 17 | 12 | light breeze |
| 18 | 12 | light breeze |
| 19 | 12 | light breeze |
| 20 | 12 | light breeze |
| 21 | 12 | light breeze |
| 22 | 12 | light breeze |
| 23 | 12 | light breeze |
| 24 | 12 | light breeze |
| 25 | 12 | light breeze |
| 26 | 12 | light breeze |
| 27 | 12 | light breeze |
| 28 | 12 | light breeze |
| 29 | 12 | light breeze |
| 30 | 12 | light breeze |
Sunrise & sunset in September
Daylight runs from about 11 h 24 min at the start of September to 12 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days grow by about 48 minutes over September. Sunrise moves from 6:30 AM to 5:56 AM, and sunset from 5:56 PM to 6:09 PM.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 11.4 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.6 | 11.6 | 11.6 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.8 | 11.8 | 11.8 | 11.8 | 11.9 | 11.9 | 11.9 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 12.1 | 12.1 | 12.1 | 12.1 | 12.2 | 12.2 | 12.2 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 6:30 | 6:29 | 6:28 | 6:26 | 6:25 | 6:24 | 6:23 | 6:22 | 6:21 | 6:19 | 6:18 | 6:17 | 6:16 | 6:15 | 6:14 | 6:12 | 6:11 | 6:10 | 6:09 | 6:08 | 6:06 | 6:05 | 6:04 | 6:03 | 6:02 | 6:00 | 5:59 | 5:58 | 5:57 | 5:56 |
| Sunset (PM) | 5:56 | 5:57 | 5:57 | 5:58 | 5:58 | 5:58 | 5:59 | 5:59 | 6:00 | 6:00 | 6:01 | 6:01 | 6:02 | 6:02 | 6:02 | 6:03 | 6:03 | 6:04 | 6:04 | 6:05 | 6:05 | 6:06 | 6:06 | 6:07 | 6:07 | 6:07 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:09 | 6:09 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11.4 | 6:30 | 5:56 |
| 2 | 11.5 | 6:29 | 5:57 |
| 3 | 11.5 | 6:28 | 5:57 |
| 4 | 11.5 | 6:26 | 5:58 |
| 5 | 11.5 | 6:25 | 5:58 |
| 6 | 11.6 | 6:24 | 5:58 |
| 7 | 11.6 | 6:23 | 5:59 |
| 8 | 11.6 | 6:22 | 5:59 |
| 9 | 11.7 | 6:21 | 6:00 |
| 10 | 11.7 | 6:19 | 6:00 |
| 11 | 11.7 | 6:18 | 6:01 |
| 12 | 11.7 | 6:17 | 6:01 |
| 13 | 11.8 | 6:16 | 6:02 |
| 14 | 11.8 | 6:15 | 6:02 |
| 15 | 11.8 | 6:14 | 6:02 |
| 16 | 11.8 | 6:12 | 6:03 |
| 17 | 11.9 | 6:11 | 6:03 |
| 18 | 11.9 | 6:10 | 6:04 |
| 19 | 11.9 | 6:09 | 6:04 |
| 20 | 12.0 | 6:08 | 6:05 |
| 21 | 12.0 | 6:06 | 6:05 |
| 22 | 12.0 | 6:05 | 6:06 |
| 23 | 12.0 | 6:04 | 6:06 |
| 24 | 12.1 | 6:03 | 6:07 |
| 25 | 12.1 | 6:02 | 6:07 |
| 26 | 12.1 | 6:00 | 6:07 |
| 27 | 12.1 | 5:59 | 6:08 |
| 28 | 12.2 | 5:58 | 6:08 |
| 29 | 12.2 | 5:57 | 6:09 |
| 30 | 12.2 | 5:56 | 6:09 |
Solar energy in September
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 6.14 kWh/m².
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.84 kWh/m² to a high of 7.23 kWh/m² in December across the year — September's 6.14 kWh/m² falls in the middle.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 5.6 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Level | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5.6 | Bright |
| 2 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 3 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 4 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 5 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 6 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 7 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 8 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 9 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 10 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 11 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 12 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 13 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 14 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 15 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 16 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 17 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 18 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 19 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 20 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 21 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 22 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 23 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 24 | 6.4 | Intense |
| 25 | 6.4 | Intense |
| 26 | 6.4 | Intense |
| 27 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 28 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 29 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 30 | 6.5 | Intense |
Hazard calendar for Orkney
None of Orkney's seasonal hazards are active in September. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.
Orkney's rainy season runs October–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is September a good time to visit Orkney?
Our two travel scores rate September for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
September is one of the better times to visit Orkney for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Orkney in September
From September's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In September, Orkney sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 10°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 3 days see rain.
UV index in Orkney in September
Clear-sky midday UV in September peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Orkney peaks around January 13 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 at about 5 (high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 15 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 14 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | Extreme |
| Feb | 13 | Extreme |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 9 | Very high |
| May | 6 | High |
| Jun | 5 | Moderate |
| Jul | 5 | High |
| Aug | 7 | Very high |
| Sep | 9 | Very high |
| Oct | 11 | Extreme |
| Nov | 12 | Extreme |
| Dec | 14 | Extreme |
Air quality in Orkney in September
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where September falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Orkney is worst in June — around 57 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 4.6× the cleanest month (December, 12 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 14 | 19 | 26 | 34 | 48 | 57 | 56 | 45 | 38 | 26 | 15 | 12 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14 | Moderate |
| Feb | 19 | Moderate |
| Mar | 26 | Moderate |
| Apr | 34 | Moderate |
| May | 48 | Poor |
| Jun | 57 | Unhealthy |
| Jul | 56 | Unhealthy |
| Aug | 45 | Poor |
| Sep | 38 | Poor |
| Oct | 26 | Moderate |
| Nov | 15 | Moderate |
| Dec | 12 | Moderate |
Where is Orkney?
Orkney sits at 27.0°S, 26.7°E, 1,312 m above sea level, in South Africa. The nearest listed city is Klerksdorp, 14 km away.
Topography around Orkney
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Orkney.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Orkney has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 51 m around an average of 1,299 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 133 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 445 m.
The land around Orkney is covered by grassland (55%) within 3 km, grassland (57%) and cropland (27%) within 16 km, and grassland (58%) and cropland (36%) within 80 km.
South Africa travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type C / M / N
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 41% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $6,598
- 2025
- Happiness
- 5.0 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 68%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 43.7
- per 100k, 2022
- Road deaths
- 22.2
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- Very high
- EF EPI 602
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Orkney (-26.9802°, 26.6727°, elevation 1,312 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).