Telford Street experiences a temperate maritime climate, strongly influenced by the North Atlantic and the surrounding Highland landscape.
Summers are cool and fresh, with long daylight hours – I mean, 2025 was the hottest on record! Winters are relatively mild, and aside from on the nearby hilltops snow tends to be short-lived. Rainfall is frequent but not extreme, given the "rain shadow" Inverness sits within.
In many ways, I am blessed to live here, in a nestled part of the city which has nature on its doorstep; but this kind of coastal location means sudden gales and storm surges can, and do, strike.
The area is exposed along the Beauly Firth and storms funnel through, leading to rough conditions on the Caledonian Canal and Merkinch foreshore. Wind has been a major factor, and in the last 2 years the record-breaking 12 named storms have devastated a lot of the homes and infrastructure around here – myself and my neighbours have bonded so much over rescuing each others bins when they fly out onto the heavy-traffic streets!
Stormy periods can disrupt travel, damage property (especially slated roofs), and heighten flood concerns, particularly along our low-lying street where some of the older houses even experience subsidence due to being built on former marshes beside the River Ness.
Outside of the windy days, it's a stunning place to explore and admire, with skies opening up to the most gorgeous light over flat open waters. I enjoy seeing people learn to swim and kayak and play water sports for the first time, dogs chasing ducks while toddlers drop breadcrumbs, waving at neighbours living on docked boats or picking ripe brambles to make preserves later.
The varied weather supports saltmarsh, mudflats, and wetland habitats in the Merkinch Local Nature Reserve (a hidden gem in the city). Seasonal shifts in water levels and storms shape these ecosystems, refreshing feeding grounds – but sometimes causing erosion too.
Calm days bring runners, dog walkers, swimmers, anglers, and families to down canal to enjoy the outdoors, reinforcing community ties.