Winter
Dec → Feb8 to 10°
nights 2 to 4°
- 12 rainy days · 66 mm
- 4.2 h of sun
When is the best time to visit London?
- Jan8°not recommended
- Feb10°not recommended
- Mar11°not recommended
- Apr14°fair
- May18°recommended
- Jun21°recommended
- Jul23°recommended
- Aug23°recommended
- Sep21°recommended
- Oct16°fair
- Nov11°not recommended
- Dec9°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in London, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8° | 2° | 4.2 h | 65 mm | 12 d | |
| February | 10° | 4° | 5.1 h | 64 mm | 13 d | |
| March | 11° | 4° | 6.4 h | 59 mm | 13 d | |
| April | 14° | 5° | 9.4 h | 43 mm | 8 d | |
| May | 18° | 9° | 10.4 h | 54 mm | 12 d | ✓ |
| June | 21° | 12° | 11.1 h | 58 mm | 9 d | ✓ |
| July | 23° | 14° | 11.1 h | 62 mm | 13 d | ✓ |
| August | 23° | 14° | 9.9 h | 52 mm | 8 d | ✓ |
| September | 21° | 12° | 8.3 h | 66 mm | 11 d | ✓ |
| October | 16° | 10° | 6.2 h | 102 mm | 15 d | |
| November | 11° | 6° | 4.4 h | 70 mm | 11 d | |
| December | 9° | 4° | 3.4 h | 69 mm | 12 d |
The four seasons in London, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Tower Bridge) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May11 to 18°
nights 4 to 9°
- 11 rainy days · 52 mm
- 8.7 h of sun
Summer
Jun → Aug21 to 23°
nights 12 to 14°
- 10 rainy days · 57 mm
- 10.7 h of sun
Autumn
Sep → Nov11 to 21°
nights 6 to 12°
- 12 rainy days · 79 mm
- 6.3 h of sun
Book early for May to September
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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Daylight in London, month by month
The time between sunrise and sunset, from shortest to longest. Not to be confused with the sunshine hours in the table above, which count clear skies. In June there are 16h36 of daylight, in December 7h51, a difference of 8h45.
8h19Jan
9h53Feb
11h42Mar
13h47Apr
15h35May
16h36Jun
16h11Jul
14h35Aug
12h33Sep
10h33Oct
8h46Nov
7h51Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Tower Bridge" (51.51°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in London, month by month
EventsNotting Hill CarnivalAugustWimbledon ChampionshipsJune to JulyChelsea Flower ShowMayTrooping the ColourJuneDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Sightseeing & walks: January, April, May, June, August, September, November, December
- Long days: May, June, July, August
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall), not from an opinion.
What's on in London, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. These events fill the hotels and push prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- AugustNotting Hill Carnival big crowds
Sound systems, costumes and Caribbean food take over the streets of Notting Hill on the last weekend of August, bank holiday included.
- June to JulyWimbledon Championships big crowds
The tournament occupies the grass courts of south-west London for a fortnight, from late June to mid-July.
- MayChelsea Flower Show
The Royal Horticultural Society sets up its show gardens in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, for a week in May.
- JuneTrooping the Colour
The parade for the sovereign's official birthday comes down the Mall on a Saturday in June, followed by the balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended8°2° at night
- 65 mm · 12 d
- 4.2 h
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended10°4° at night
- 64 mm · 13 d
- 5.1 h
Low season, lower prices
March
Not recommended11°4° at night
- 59 mm · 13 d
- 6.4 h
Low season, lower prices
April
Fair14°5° at night
- 43 mm · 8 d
- 9.4 h
Low season, lower prices
May
Recommended18°9° at night
- 54 mm · 12 d
- 10.4 h
Busy, without the crush
June
Recommended21°12° at night
- 58 mm · 9 d
- 11.1 h
High season, book early
July
Recommended23°14° at night
- 62 mm · 13 d
- 11.1 h
High season, book early
August
Recommended23°14° at night
- 52 mm · 8 d
- 9.9 h
High season, book early
September
Recommended21°12° at night
- 66 mm · 11 d
- 8.3 h
Busy, without the crush
October
Fair16°10° at night
- 102 mm · 15 d
- 6.2 h
Low season, lower prices
November
Not recommended11°6° at night
- 70 mm · 11 d
- 4.4 h
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended9°4° at night
- 69 mm · 12 d
- 3.4 h
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Cool: 8 °C at best, 2 °C at night. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (65 mm). Sunshine gets scarcer (4.2 h a day). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Cool: 10 °C at best, 4 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (64 mm). Sunshine gets scarcer (5.1 h a day). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Cool: 11 °C at best, 4 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (59 mm). Expect 6.4 h of sunshine a day. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. Cool: 14 °C at best, 5 °C at night. Expect 8 days of rain in the month (43 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 9.4 h a day on average. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
May. Mild, 18 °C in the afternoon and 9 °C early in the morning. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (54 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 10.4 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
June. Mild, 21 °C in the afternoon and 12 °C early in the morning. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (58 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 11.1 h a day on average. High season: book early.
July. Mild, 23 °C in the afternoon and 14 °C early in the morning. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (62 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 11.1 h a day on average. High season: book early.
August. Mild, 23 °C in the afternoon and 14 °C early in the morning. Expect 8 days of rain in the month (52 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 9.9 h a day on average. High season: book early.
September. Mild, 21 °C in the afternoon and 12 °C early in the morning. Expect 11 days of rain in the month (66 mm). Expect 8.3 h of sunshine a day. Busy season, without the crush.
October. Cool: 16 °C at best, 10 °C at night. Frequent rain: 102 mm over 15 days. Expect 6.2 h of sunshine a day. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
November. Cool: 11 °C at best, 6 °C at night. Expect 11 days of rain in the month (70 mm). Sunshine gets scarcer (4.4 h a day). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Cool: 9 °C at best, 4 °C at night. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (69 mm). Sunshine gets scarcer (3.4 h a day). Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit London?
May to September: over these months, recorded highs range from 18 to 23 °C, with 11 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Tower Bridge).
Which month should you avoid in London?
November: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 70 mm over 11 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Tower Bridge).
What is the hottest month in London?
July, with 23 °C on average in the afternoon and 14 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Tower Bridge).
What is the coldest month in London?
January, with 8 °C at best during the day and 2 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Tower Bridge).
What is the driest month in London?
April: 43 mm over 8 days of rain, against 102 mm in October, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in London?
June, with 11.1 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable London guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit United Kingdom: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
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Photos: Claudia Solano / Pexels · Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Heinz Klier / Pexels · Paasikivi / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)