The weather in London in February averages a daytime high of 9.0°C and an overnight low of 2.6°C, with 45.0mm of rain and 76 hours of sunshine — drier than January and noticeably brighter. February is also the month that has warmed the most in London: across 2021–2025 the average daily high was 10.4°C, a full 1.4°C above the 30-year figure, and February 2024 averaged 12.2°C. The light comes back fast, too. Daylight runs from 9 hours 9 minutes on the 1st to 10 hours 48 minutes on the 28th, a gain of an hour and thirty-nine minutes — the fastest rate of any month. Nights are still the coldest of the year alongside January, at 2.6°C with about six frost nights. Chinese New Year falls on 6 February 2027, and Chinatown and Trafalgar Square host the largest celebrations outside Asia. All climate figures come from the Met Office record for the Heathrow station, 1991–2020.
Weather in London in February at a Glance
| Average daily high | Average daily low | Rainfall | Sunshine | Nights of air frost | Daylight on 1 / 28 Feb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.0°C | 2.6°C | 45.0 mm | 76 hours | 6.2 | 9h 09m / 10h 48m |
February is the shortest month and the one that changes fastest. The first week feels like a continuation of January; the last week has an extra hour and a half of daylight, 5°C afternoons turning into 11°C ones, and the first crocuses and daffodils out in the Royal Parks. Read every number below as a mid-month average of two quite different halves.
How Cold Is London in February?
February averages 9.0°C by day and 2.6°C at night, which makes the nights the coldest of the year, marginally colder than January. The days, though, are half a degree warmer than January, and the recent record has moved much further: the 2021–2025 average daily high was 10.4°C with only 4.8 frost nights instead of 6.2.
That makes February the clearest example of a warming London winter in the whole record. February 2024 averaged 12.2°C by day — warmer than a normal March — and February 2022 reached 11.3°C. The practical effect for a visitor is that February increasingly delivers mild, bright days that the long-run average would not lead you to expect, alongside the occasional genuinely cold snap when easterly air arrives.
Does It Rain a Lot in London in February?
February is one of the drier months of the London year at 45.0mm, well below January’s 58.8mm and less than half of November’s 66.6mm. Only March is drier. Recent years have been close to the long-run figure, averaging 47.0mm across 2021–2025.
The spread between years is enormous, though, and worth knowing before you commit: February 2023 recorded just 4.2mm at Heathrow — effectively a dry month — while February 2024 recorded 100.4mm. No average predicts which you will get. What is reliable is the type of rain: February brings Atlantic frontal rain in bands, so wet spells last hours rather than minutes, and wind often comes with them. February is also the peak month for named storms reaching the UK.
How Fast Does the Light Come Back in February?
Faster than in any other month: London gains 1 hour 39 minutes of daylight across February. On 1 February the sun rises at 07:40 and sets at 16:49, giving 9 hours 9 minutes; by the 28th it is 06:50 to 17:38, giving 10 hours 48 minutes.
Crossing the 17:00 sunset line in the third week is the moment London stops feeling like winter. Combined with 76 hours of sunshine — nearly 30 per cent more than January — that makes the last ten days of February a genuinely different proposition from the first ten. If your dates are flexible within the month, take the back half.
What to Wear in London in February
Dress for 9°C days, near-freezing nights and wind: a warm waterproof coat over layers you can adjust. February asks for the same kit as January, with more emphasis on wind resistance and slightly less on extreme warmth.
- A warm, wind-resistant waterproof coat — February storms make umbrellas close to useless.
- Thermal or thick base layers for the first half of the month, which you can drop in the second.
- Waterproof boots with grip for wet pavements.
- Hat, scarf and gloves, particularly for evenings and for standing at outdoor events.
- Sunglasses — a genuinely useful item in late February, when the low sun is bright and directly in your eyes.
- Layers you can strip off for heated interiors.
What Is On in London in February
Chinese New Year on 6 February 2027 brings the biggest celebrations outside Asia to Chinatown, Trafalgar Square and Shaftesbury Avenue. The main event runs on the nearest Sunday with a parade, stage performances in Trafalgar Square and street food across the West End, and it is one of the few free large-scale spectacles in the winter calendar. Expect very heavy crowds and road closures around Chinatown for the day.
London Fashion Week takes over parts of the centre in the third week, mostly as an industry event but with public exhibitions attached. Half-term falls in the middle of the month and fills every museum with a children’s programme — the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum in particular. Valentine’s Day on the 14th is the single hardest night of the year to get a restaurant table in London, so book weeks ahead or eat on the 13th.
Is February a Good Time to Visit London?
February is the best-value month with usable daylight, which makes it the strongest of the winter three. Prices are still close to the January floor outside half-term, the queues are short, and by the end of the month you have nearly eleven hours of daylight rather than eight.
Against January, February is drier, brighter, warmer by day and has an hour and a half more light by month end. Against March, it is two and a half degrees colder and has considerably less sunshine, but it is also cheaper and quieter. The two things to plan around are half-term in the middle of the month and Valentine’s Day on the 14th.
London Weather in February: Early Month vs Late Month
Early February is the tail of winter; late February is the start of spring in everything but name. The first ten days often bring the coldest spell of the whole British winter, with frost and occasional sleet. The last ten days regularly deliver 12–14°C afternoons, a 17:30 sunset and the first blossom.
That split matters more in February than in any other month, because both the weather and the light change so much across four weeks. If you can only travel in February and you want to see London outdoors, book the last week.
Getting Around London in February
Storms are the February transport risk, not cold. The UK named-storm season peaks in late winter, and a serious storm brings rail speed restrictions, cancelled flights and closed parks in a single day. It is the one month where checking a forecast before committing to a day trip is genuinely worth doing.
Day to day, the Tube is comfortable and uncrowded outside half-term. Airport arrivals face the same winter delay pattern as January — fog, wind and de-icing — and a pre-arranged London airport transfer that tracks the flight and waits is worth more in February than in the summer. Our Heathrow transfer to your hotel covers exactly that case.
By late February a day trip out of the city works again, with sunset past 17:30 giving a usable afternoon. A chauffeur-driven car in London makes Windsor or Oxford comfortable in winter weather, and a private tour guide in London can travel with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How cold is London in February?
February averages 9.0°C by day and 2.6°C at night, the coldest nights of the year. Recent Februaries have been much milder by day, averaging 10.4°C across 2021–2025 and 12.2°C in February 2024.
Is February a wet month in London?
No, it is one of the drier months at 45.0mm, second only to March. Individual years vary enormously: February 2023 recorded 4.2mm and February 2024 recorded 100.4mm.
When is Chinese New Year in London in 2027?
6 February 2027, the Year of the Goat. The main public celebrations run on the nearest Sunday around Chinatown, Shaftesbury Avenue and Trafalgar Square, with a parade, free stage performances and road closures.
How much daylight does London get in February?
From 9 hours 9 minutes on the 1st to 10 hours 48 minutes on the 28th — a gain of 1 hour 39 minutes, the fastest of any month. Sunset passes 17:00 in the third week.
Is February a good month to visit London?
Yes, if you want winter prices with usable daylight. Avoid the half-term week in the middle of the month, and book the last ten days if you want the mildest, brightest version of February.
Planning a February Trip
February is the month where the calendar matters more than the forecast. Miss half-term, book around Valentine’s Day, favour the last ten days for light and warmth, and keep a wind-proof coat rather than an umbrella. Check availability and prices for a transfer or chauffeur, and let the storm season be our problem rather than yours.
Sources
Temperature, rainfall, sunshine and air-frost figures are 1991–2020 averages calculated from the Met Office Heathrow station record, which also supplies the individual recent years quoted. Sunrise and sunset times are calculated for central London.