London’s weather is a mix of pleasant and unpredictable. Summers are short, comfortable, and partly cloudy, while winters are long, very cold, windy, and often overcast. You’ll experience a wide range of temperatures throughout the year, typically between 39°F and 74°F. It rarely dips below 30°F or climbs above 84°F.
This section will walk you through the weather patterns and provide insight into the best time to visit London, considering your preferences for outdoor activities.
Understanding London’s Weather Patterns
The weather in London varies greatly throughout the year. You can expect a mix of sunshine, rain, and even snow, depending on the season. To help you visualize these patterns, we’ve created a graphical representation of the average hourly temperatures throughout the year. The chart highlights the fluctuations in temperature across different times of day and different days of the year.
For travelers who prefer temperatures similar to London, the far-away foreign place of Picnic Point, Washington, United States (4,774 miles away) offers a comparable experience.
We’ve also included a representation of the sun’s position throughout the year. This chart shows the sun’s elevation (how high it is in the sky) and azimuth (its compass bearing) for every hour of every day. This information can help you plan activities around the optimal time to enjoy sunshine.
Unveiling the Best Time to Visit
To help you choose the best time to visit London, we’ve developed two travel scores based on different preferences. These scores consider temperature, cloud cover, and rainfall to create an overall assessment of how pleasant the weather is for various activities.
The tourism score focuses on general outdoor activities. It favors clear, rainless days with comfortable temperatures between 65°F and 80°F. According to this score, the best time to visit London for outdoor adventures is from late June to early September, with the peak score in the third week of July.
If you’re looking for hot weather and beach/pool activities, the beach/pool score is more relevant. This score prioritizes sunny, rainless days with temperatures between 75°F and 90°F. Based on this score, the ideal time to visit London for hot-weather activities is from mid-July to mid-August, with the highest score in the last week of July.
To calculate these scores, we analyze hourly weather data from 1980 to 2016. We assign individual scores for perceived temperature, cloud cover, and precipitation. These scores are then combined into a single hourly composite score and averaged across the years, creating a smoothed representation of the best times to visit London.
We use a linear scale for each score. For instance, a clear sky receives a cloud cover score of 10, while a fully overcast sky receives a score of 1. Similarly, our temperature scores increase as temperatures become more desirable for the specific activity.
So, whether you’re looking for a comfortable summer adventure or a warm escape, London offers a pleasant travel experience with diverse weather patterns throughout the year. With our detailed analysis and helpful scores, you can choose the best time to visit based on your personal preferences and desired activities.
