The weather in London in October averages a daytime high of 15.8°C and an overnight low of 8.8°C, with 65.1mm of rain and 110 hours of sunshine — about three and a half hours of sun a day. October is the second-wettest month of the London year, beaten only by November, and it is the month in which the light changes fastest, and British Summer Time ends on Sunday 25 October 2026, dropping sunset from 17:51 to 16:47 in a single weekend. It is also the best month of the year for autumn colour in the Royal Parks, and the last month before the Christmas season takes the city over. Bring a waterproof coat and treat 16:00 as your outdoor cut-off in the second half of the month. All climate figures come from the Met Office record for the Heathrow station, 1991–2020.
Weather in London in October at a Glance
| Average daily high | Average daily low | Rainfall | Sunshine | Daylight on 1 Oct | Daylight on 31 Oct |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15.8°C | 8.8°C | 65.1 mm | 110 hours | 11h 39m | 9h 45m |
Read October as two different months separated by one weekend. Before the clocks change you still have usable evening light and temperatures in the high teens; after it, the city is dark by five and the year has visibly turned. Everything below is organised around that break.
How Cold Is London in October?
Not cold — October averages 15.8°C by day and 8.8°C at night, which is jacket weather rather than winter weather. Recent Octobers have been warmer still: the 2021–2025 average daily high was 17.1°C, and both 2022 and 2023 came in above 18°C, which is closer to a normal September than a normal October.
The number that matters more is the night figure. At 8.8°C, October evenings are the first of the year that feel properly cold outdoors, and London’s damp air makes them feel colder than the same temperature elsewhere. Air frost is possible at the very end of the month but rare in central London, where the city itself holds a degree or two of extra warmth compared with the surrounding countryside.
Does It Rain a Lot in London in October?
Yes — at 65.1mm October is the second-wettest month of the London year, and recent years have been wetter still at 79.2mm across 2021–2025. October 2020 delivered 142.2mm, more than double the long-run average, and October 2023 recorded 116.8mm.
The character of the rain also changes from the summer pattern. August showers are short and convective; October rain arrives in bands attached to Atlantic weather systems, which means several hours of steady drizzle rather than twenty minutes of downpour. A compact umbrella stops being enough. What works is a waterproof coat with a hood, shoes that survive a wet pavement, and a plan that assumes one properly wet day in every three.
When Do the Clocks Change and How Dark Does It Get?
The clocks go back one hour on Sunday 25 October 2026, and the effect on your day is abrupt. On Saturday 24 October the sun sets at 17:51; on Monday 26 October it sets at 16:47. Nothing about the weather has changed, but the usable afternoon has lost an hour overnight.
Across the month as a whole, daylight falls from 11 hours 39 minutes on 1 October (07:01 to 18:40) to 9 hours 45 minutes on the 31st (06:52 to 16:37). With only 110 hours of sunshine in the month — three and a half hours a day — low cloud is a bigger factor than rain in how October actually feels. If your trip straddles the last weekend of the month, plan the outdoor half of it before the change and the indoor half after.
What to Wear in London in October
A waterproof coat is the one item that decides whether October in London is enjoyable. Temperatures do not demand winter clothing, but sustained rain and a damp wind off the river do demand a layer that keeps water out.
- A waterproof coat with a hood — more useful than an umbrella in wind.
- A jumper or fleece as the warm middle layer, so the coat itself can stay light.
- Water-resistant shoes or boots — wet feet at ten in the morning ruin a whole day of sightseeing.
- A scarf, which does more for comfort in damp air than a heavier coat does.
- A small torch or a charged phone for the second half of the month, when parks and heaths go dark early.
- Layers you can shed indoors — London museums, shops and restaurants run their heating hard from mid-October.
What Is On in London in October
October is the strongest month of the year for art and film in London, and the quietest for outdoor events. Frieze London brings the international art market to Regent’s Park in the middle of the month, with satellite exhibitions across the West End and the East End at the same time. The BFI London Film Festival runs for around twelve days from early October across the South Bank and cinemas city-wide.
The other October fixture is half-term, in the last full week of the month, when families arrive from across the UK and every museum with a children’s programme fills up. If you are travelling without children, avoid that week; if you are travelling with them, book everything in advance. Halloween on 31 October is now a substantial event in London, with late openings at several attractions and a busy night on public transport.
The free attraction of the month is the colour itself. Hampstead Heath, Richmond Park, Kew Gardens and the avenues of Hyde Park all peak in the middle two weeks, and a bright, cold October morning in a London park is one of the best things the city offers in any season.
Is October a Good Time to Visit London?
October is a good month for a second visit and a mixed one for a first. If you have already seen the outdoor landmarks and want galleries, theatre, food and autumn parks without summer crowds, it is excellent value. If this is your first trip and your list is full of viewpoints and river walks, the short days and the rain will work against you.
Against September, October gives up four degrees, two hours of daylight and a good deal of dryness. Against November, it keeps four degrees, an hour and a half of daylight and considerably more sunshine, and it avoids the Christmas crowds entirely. Prices sit at their lowest of the autumn in the first three weeks, before half-term.
London Weather in October: Early Month vs Late Month
The first half of October often behaves like a cool September; the last week behaves like early winter. Highs of 18–19°C are common in the opening fortnight, the plane trees are only beginning to turn, and evening light still reaches past six.
The second half brings the colour peak, colder mornings, the clock change and half-term crowds in quick succession. For the best combination of weather, colour and quiet, the ideal window is roughly 8 to 22 October: past the early-month green, before the clocks change, and before the schools break up.
Getting Around London in October
October is the month when the weather starts to affect journeys rather than just comfort. Sustained rain slows the roads, leaf fall affects the overground rail network, and the dark evening peak after the clock change makes walking routes that felt obvious in summer feel much less so.
The Tube is at its most comfortable in October — the summer heat has gone and the Christmas crowds have not arrived — but it does not help you with luggage in the rain. A pre-arranged London airport transfer is worth more in October than in any summer month for exactly that reason, and our Heathrow transfer to your hotel waits through delays at no extra cost.
October is also the best month of the year for a countryside day trip, because the colour outside London is better than inside it. With daylight short, a chauffeur-driven car in London is what makes a Windsor or Cotswolds day work at all in October, and a private tour guide in London can come with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How cold does London get in October?
October averages 15.8°C by day and 8.8°C at night. Recent years have been warmer, with a 2021–2025 average daily high of 17.1°C. Frost is possible late in the month but rare in central London.
When do the clocks go back in London in 2026?
On Sunday 25 October 2026. Sunset moves from 17:51 on the Saturday to 16:47 on the Monday, so the usable afternoon shortens by an hour across one weekend.
Is October the wettest month in London?
It is the second wettest. October averages 65.1mm against November’s 66.6mm. Recent Octobers have run wetter than the long-run average, at 79.2mm across 2021–2025.
When is peak autumn colour in London?
The middle two weeks of October, roughly the 10th to the 25th. Hampstead Heath, Richmond Park, Kew Gardens and Hyde Park are the reliable places to see it.
What should I pack for London in October?
A waterproof coat with a hood, a warm middle layer, water-resistant shoes and a scarf. Winter clothing is not needed, but anything that is not rainproof will be tested.
Planning an October Trip
Two decisions shape an October trip in London: which side of the clock change you travel on, and whether you can avoid half-term. Get both right and October gives you the best autumn colour of the year, the strongest art and film programme in the calendar, and prices well below the summer. Check availability and prices for an airport transfer or a chauffeur and we will handle the wet part of the day.
Sources
Temperature, rainfall and sunshine figures are 1991–2020 averages calculated from the Met Office Heathrow station record, which also supplies the individual recent years quoted. British Summer Time end dates follow the UK government clock change calendar. Sunrise and sunset times are calculated for central London.