The best months to visit London are May, June and September, with highs of 18–21°C and long evenings. The wettest months are November and October, at 66.6 mm and 65.1 mm of rain. July and August are the warmest, with afternoons of 23–25°C. January is the coldest, averaging 8.4°C by day.
This guide gathers the twelve monthly weather guides on this site into one page. Every figure below comes from those guides, which quote the Met Office Heathrow record for 1991–2020. Each month section links to its full guide for dates, packing lists and events.
London weather by month: the master table
| Month | Avg high / low (°C) | Rainfall | Daylight | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8.4 / 2.7 | 58.8 mm | 7h 55m → 9h 05m | Coldest and cheapest; sales and quiet museums |
| February | 9.0 / 2.6 | 45.0 mm | 9h 09m → 10h 48m | Still cold; daylight grows fastest of any month |
| March | 11.7 / 4.1 | 38.8 mm | 10h 52m → 12h 51m | Driest month; blossom starts, clocks go forward |
| April | 15.0 / 6.0 | 42.3 mm | 12h 55m → 14h 45m | Parks at their best; Easter and Marathon crowds |
| May | 18 / 9 | ~50 mm · about 10 wet days | 15–16 h | Proper spring; two bank holidays |
| June | 21 / 12 | ~45 mm · 12 wet days | ~16.5 h | Longest days; peak events, book early |
| July | 23–25 / 15 | 40–50 mm · 10–13 wet days | up to 16 h | Warm and busy; Wimbledon and open-air theatre |
| August | 23.4 / 14.1 | 53.6 mm | 15h 26m → 13h 40m | Warmest, yet the wettest summer month; Carnival |
| September | 20.2 / 11.6 | 49.6 mm | 13h 36m → 11h 43m | Best all-round month once schools return |
| October | 15.8 / 8.8 | 65.1 mm | 11h 39m → 9h 45m | Autumn colour; rain arrives in bands |
| November | 11.5 / 5.3 | 66.6 mm | 9h 41m → 8h 14m | Wettest and darkest; Bonfire Night and Christmas lights |
| December | 8.8 / 3.1 | 57.0 mm | 8h 12m → 7h 50m (21st) | Festive first three weeks; Christmas Day shutdown |
Temperatures and rainfall: Met Office Heathrow station, 1991–2020 averages, as quoted in each monthly guide. Daylight runs from the first to the last day of the month. Wet-day counts appear only where the monthly guide states them.
January in London: coldest, darkest, cheapest
January is the coldest month in London, averaging 8.4°C in daylight and 2.7°C once the sun goes down. It brings 58.8 mm of rain, plus only 59 hours of sunshine, so most days pass under cloud. Frost arrives on about seven nights, but snow that closes anything is rare. Sunset moves from 16:02 on the 1st to 16:47 on the 31st.
The city empties after the New Year’s Day Parade and the sales, which makes it the cheapest month. Pack a warm waterproof coat, thermal layers and waterproof shoes. Read the full January weather guide for hotel timing and the frost pattern.
February in London: still cold, light returning fast
February peaks at 9.0°C, falling to 2.6°C after dark, with 45.0 mm of rainfall and 76 hours of sunshine. Daylight grows by 1 hour 39 minutes across the month, faster than in any other. Wind matters more than temperature, so a wind-resistant waterproof coat beats an umbrella.
The calendar shapes the trip: half-term crowds, Valentine’s Day pricing and Chinese New Year in Chinatown. The closing week has the most light and warmth. See our guide to London in February for the half-term dates and the best week.
March in London: the driest month of the year
March is the driest month in London, with 38.8 mm of rain. Days average 11.7°C and nights 4.1°C, and 120 hours of sunshine double February’s total. Daylight jumps from 10 hours 52 minutes to 12 hours 51 minutes. The clocks go forward on the last weekend.
A mild spell and a cold snap are equally likely, which makes packing hard. Bring a wind-proof jacket rather than a winter coat. Aim for 20 to 27 March: blossom has started and Easter crowds are still ahead. Our March weather breakdown covers the clock change and the blossom timing.
April in London: blossom, Easter and the biggest daylight gain
April reaches 15.0°C in the afternoon and cools to 6.0°C overnight, with 42.3 mm of rain alongside 169 hours of sunshine. It adds 1 hour 50 minutes of daylight, the biggest gain of any month. The Royal Parks and Kew hit peak blossom in the first half.
The London Marathon and Easter bring the first crowds of the season. Pack light clothing, one warm layer and a light waterproof; the warm layer travels with you all day. The April guide explains why it beats August for parks, prices and rain.
May in London: proper spring and two bank holidays
May is proper spring in London. Highs sit around 18°C and lows near 9°C, with roughly 50 mm of rain spread over about ten days. Daylight reaches 15 to 16 hours, with sunrise near 05:00 and sunset after 21:00. Late May runs warmer than early May, with days up to 21–22°C.
Two bank holidays fall in May, and both long weekends fill with markets and outdoor events. Pack light layers, an evening jacket and a compact umbrella. The full May weather guide compares early and late May and the bank-holiday weekends.
June in London: the longest days of the year
June brings London’s longest days, about 16.5 hours of daylight, with sunset after 21:00. Highs average 21°C and lows near 12°C, with roughly 45 mm of rain on about 12 days. Showers are short and rarely heavy. Occasional heatwaves push afternoons above 28°C.
Trooping the Colour, Royal Ascot and Taste of London fill the calendar, so book early. Pack light layers, sunglasses and one light rain jacket. See the June weather guide for the heatwave odds and the event dates.
July in London: warm, bright and busy
July is warm and busy. Afternoons reach 23–25°C and early mornings sit near 15°C, with brief heatwaves above 28°C. Rain totals 40–50 mm across 10 to 13 days, mostly in short showers. Daylight runs up to 16 hours, from about 05:00 to 21:00.
Wimbledon, British Summer Time in Hyde Park and open-air theatre in Regent’s Park define the month. It is peak tourist season, so prices and queues climb. Pack light clothing, a foldable umbrella and sun protection. Our July weather guide lists the parks and family days that suit the heat.
August in London: warmest month, wettest of summer
August averages 23.4°C by day and 14.1°C at night, with 192 hours of sunshine. It is the second-warmest month on the long-run record, yet also the wettest of summer at 53.6 mm. Daylight drops from 15 hours 26 minutes to 13 hours 40 minutes across the month.
Notting Hill Carnival closes the month on the bank-holiday weekend. School holidays keep hotels and attractions at peak levels. A compact umbrella beats a raincoat, because showers are short and warm. Read the August weather guide for the Carnival weekend and the August-versus-September choice.
September in London: the best all-round month
September is arguably the best month for a first visit to London. Days average 20.2°C and nights 11.6°C, with 49.6 mm of rain against 150 hours of sunshine. Recent Septembers ran wetter, so make the outer layer waterproof rather than warm. Daylight falls from 13 hours 36 minutes to 11 hours 43 minutes.
Hotel rates and queues drop once schools return in the first week. The Open House Festival opens hundreds of buildings free of charge mid-month. The last week is one of the quietest windows of the year. The September guide explains the first-half versus last-week trade-off.
October in London: autumn colour and rain in bands
October is jacket weather, not winter weather: highs of 15.8°C, lows of 8.8°C. Rain rises to 65.1 mm and arrives in bands, so a hood beats an umbrella. Daylight shrinks from 11 hours 39 minutes to 9 hours 45 minutes. The clocks go back on the last Sunday.
Autumn colour peaks in the middle two weeks at Hampstead Heath, Richmond Park and Kew. Frieze London and the BFI London Film Festival run the same fortnight. Prices sit at their autumn low before half-term. Our October weather guide covers the colour peak and the clock change.
November in London: the wettest month, and the lights switch on
November is the wettest month in London and one of the darkest. It runs to 11.5°C midday and 5.3°C overnight, with 66.6 mm of rain but only 68 hours of sunshine. Sunset moves from 16:35 on the 1st to 15:57 on the 30th. Snow in central London is very unusual.
Bonfire Night, Remembrance Sunday, the Lord Mayor’s Show and Diwali give the month its events. The Christmas lights switch on in the second half. Dress for damp cold: a warm waterproof coat, a middle layer and shoes that survive standing water. See the November weather guide for the fireworks weekends and road closures.
December in London: festive weeks, then the shutdown
December holds around 8.8°C in daylight and 3.1°C after sunset, with 57.0 mm of rainfall and just 53 hours of sunshine. The shortest day is 21 December, with 7 hours 50 minutes of daylight. Recent Decembers have run about a degree milder than the long-run figure.
The bigger factor is the Christmas shutdown: on Christmas Day there is no Tube, bus or train anywhere in London. Markets, lights and Winter Wonderland fill the first three weeks. Pack a heavy waterproof coat, thick layers and waterproof shoes. The December weather guide details what closes and when, and our London at Christmas guide covers the festive calendar.
Which month should you visit?
It depends on what you rank first. The table above gives the numbers; this list gives the shortcuts.
- Warmth and long evenings: June to August, with 21–25°C afternoons and up to 16.5 hours of daylight.
- Dry days: March (38.8 mm), then April (42.3 mm) and June (about 45 mm).
- Value: January, February, early March, and the first three weeks of October and November.
- Parks and blossom: April for blossom, May for the greenest parks, October for colour.
- Big events: June (Trooping the Colour), July (Wimbledon), August (Carnival), September (Open House).
- Christmas atmosphere: the second half of November to 23 December, before the shutdown.
If you can pick only one month, take September: near-summer warmth, thinner crowds and lower prices. If budget decides everything, take January and accept short days and cloud.
Getting around London in bad weather
Rain in London rarely cancels a plan; it makes the gaps between plans uncomfortable. On wet days the Tube fills up and taxi ranks empty fastest. A pre-booked chauffeur removes that gap: the car waits at the door. The route also adapts around closures such as Remembrance Sunday or the Lord Mayor’s Show. For a full day of sightseeing with a driver, see our car and driver hire in London. For the arrival itself, a Heathrow transfer to your hotel tracks the flight and meets you inside the terminal. Tripyana Ltd is a UK-licensed private hire operator, licence PHOP950.
Frequently asked questions about London weather
What is the best month to visit London for weather?
September, followed by May and June. September averages 20.2°C by day with 150 hours of sunshine, and crowds thin once schools return. May and June bring 18–21°C afternoons and the longest evenings. April is the value pick, with 169 hours of sunshine and prices below the summer peak.
What is the wettest month in London?
November, with 66.6 mm of rain on the Met Office 1991–2020 record, followed closely by October at 65.1 mm. March is the driest month at 38.8 mm. Summer is not dry: August records 53.6 mm, the highest of the three summer months.
What is the warmest month in London?
July and August. July afternoons reach 23–25°C, and August averages 23.4°C by day and 14.1°C at night. Short heatwaves can push both months above 28°C. Nights stay comfortable, so a light layer for the evening is still useful.
Does it snow in London?
Rarely. January, the coldest month, has about seven nights of air frost, but most winter precipitation falls as rain or sleet. A snowfall that closes anything happens once in several years, not every winter. Snow in central London in November or March is very unusual.
How many hours of daylight does London get?
From 7 hours 50 minutes on 21 December to about 16.5 hours in June. The fastest changes come in spring: February gains 1 hour 39 minutes and April gains 1 hour 50 minutes. Sunset is after 21:00 from late May to July and before 16:00 through late November and December.
What should I pack for London?
A waterproof outer layer in every month, then adjust the warmth underneath. Winter needs a warm waterproof coat, thermal layers and waterproof shoes. Spring and autumn need a jacket plus one warm layer for evenings. Summer needs light clothing, a compact umbrella and sun protection for the brief heatwaves.
Is London cheaper to visit in winter?
Yes, January is the cheapest month: the city empties after the first week and hotel demand drops. The exception is December, which carries a Christmas premium and a transport shutdown on Christmas Day. The first three weeks of October and November also sit at an autumn low before half-term.
When do the clocks change in London?
Twice a year. British Summer Time begins on the last Sunday of March, when clocks go forward one hour and evenings become lighter. It ends on the last Sunday of October, when clocks go back and sunset moves before 17:00. Plan outdoor days after the March change and before the October one.