London is at its most pleasant from late May to September. For walking, go from April to mid November. It is rarely warm enough for sunbathing.
When to go five ratings · thirty-six ten-day sections · click a cell to read it
Sun is not what London is for: the Sunbathing rating tops out at 21, mostly because it is too cool. The clearest skies come in April, when the sky is typically 48% covered at midday (partly cloudy).
For being outside, go from late May to September. It peaks in mid August, at 83. Avoid November to mid March for this: it falls to 0, mostly because it is too cold.
The walking season here runs from April to mid November. It peaks in mid May, at 85. The weakest stretch is in mid January, when it drops to 15, mostly because it is too cold.
The year, measured
The average temperature in London over the whole year is 12°C. July is the hottest month, with highs of about 22°C; January is the coldest, with lows of about 5°C. London has no sharply defined rainy season: the chance of rain on a given day runs from 12% in April, the driest month, to 22% in December, the wettest. Winds in London are highest in February, averaging 4.1 m/s (15 km/h), and lightest in September, at 3.2 m/s (12 km/h). The prevailing wind is from the SW. The clearest skies in London come in April, when the sky is typically 40% covered; December is the cloudiest month, at 63%.
Month by month London climate by month: average temperatures year round · click a month to read it
| Month | High | Low | Feels like | Chance of rain | Cloud | Wind | Being outside | Sun | Walking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7°C | 5°C | 3°C | 19% | 58% | 3.6 m/s | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| February | 9°C | 6°C | 4°C | 20% | 57% | 4.1 m/s | 1 | 0 | 30 |
| March | 11°C | 6°C | 6°C | 19% | 56% | 3.9 m/s | 4 | 0 | 42 |
| April | 13°C | 7°C | 9°C | 12% | 40% | 3.5 m/s | 14 | 1 | 63 |
| May | 17°C | 11°C | 14°C | 16% | 42% | 3.4 m/s | 44 | 2 | 81 |
| June | 20°C | 15°C | 18°C | 14% | 42% | 3.5 m/s | 69 | 13 | 74 |
| July | 22°C | 16°C | 20°C | 15% | 41% | 3.5 m/s | 78 | 17 | 68 |
| August | 22°C | 16°C | 20°C | 14% | 41% | 3.4 m/s | 79 | 14 | 71 |
| September | 19°C | 14°C | 17°C | 16% | 44% | 3.2 m/s | 66 | 6 | 80 |
| October | 15°C | 11°C | 12°C | 21% | 50% | 3.3 m/s | 28 | 0 | 82 |
| November | 10°C | 8°C | 7°C | 19% | 56% | 3.4 m/s | 3 | 0 | 52 |
| December | 8°C | 6°C | 4°C | 22% | 63% | 3.7 m/s | 1 | 0 | 32 |
High and low are the warmest and coolest of four readings a day — midnight, 6am, noon and 6pm — so a true overnight low can sit a degree or two under them. Chance of rain, cloud and wind are the day’s average; feels-like and the three ratings (each out of 100: Good from 55, Ideal from 80) are read at midday.
Seasons, and the year in short London weather by season
Year round, London has days of about 7°C at their warmest in January, its coolest month, and 22°C in July, its warmest; the coolest hours of the day run from 5°C to 16°C through the year, and the average temperature over the year is 12°C around the clock. Rain is most likely around December and least likely around April. Every figure here is a decade of observations blended into one representative year, so it reads as what this date is usually like, not a forecast for one particular day.
London weather in winterDecember to February
Winter in London has typical daily highs of about 8°C and lows of about 6°C, with a 20% chance of rain on a given day.
London weather in springMarch to May
Spring in London has typical daily highs of about 14°C and lows of about 8°C, with a 16% chance of rain on a given day.
London weather in summerJune to August
Summer in London has typical daily highs of about 21°C and lows of about 16°C, with a 14% chance of rain on a given day.
London weather in autumnSeptember to November
Autumn in London has typical daily highs of about 15°C and lows of about 11°C, with a 19% chance of rain on a given day.
When is the rainy season in London?
London has no sharply defined rainy season: the chance of rain on a given day runs from 12% in April, the driest month, to 22% in December, the wettest.
What time of year is London windiest?
Winds in London are highest in February, averaging 4.1 m/s (15 km/h), and lightest in September, at 3.2 m/s (12 km/h). The prevailing wind is from the SW.
What is the average temperature in London year round?
The average temperature in London over the whole year is 12°C. July is the hottest month, with highs of about 22°C; January is the coldest, with lows of about 5°C.
Where to go instead in early January, the weakest time here for being outside
How this is worked out
Every figure is a decade of weather-station observations blended into one typical year, in ten-day sections. The ratings, the chart and the feels-like column are read at midday local solar time. Being outside is the Easy outdoors rating, Sun is Sunbathing and Walking is Active outdoors, each out of 100: Good from 55, Ideal from 80. They describe what a time of year is usually like here, not a forecast. The dotted links open the map at that time of year; set its time of day to midday to see these numbers.