London is a city saturated with mystical romance. Misty Albion attracts millions of tourists every year with its noble beauty. Beautiful urban landscapes, the majestic Big Ben and the Royal Palace building, resting under a veil of milk clouds … The legends make up the climate of London and Britain as a whole. But how do they correspond to reality?
Climate of London
In fact, London has a mild maritime climate, warm but not hot summers and warm winters. The climate of London is called temperate marine. The temperature rarely drops below zero even on January nights, snow falls infrequently in winter and melts almost immediately. There is no more rainfall in London than in Tomsk or Belgorod, but less than in Sydney. In the same St. Petersburg, 100 millimeters more precipitation falls annually.
The average annual temperature in London is 10 degrees above zero. The average humidity is 80%, the average annual rainfall is 584 millimeters.
Winds from the Atlantic Ocean balance the weather in London. They make warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
So why is Misty Albion? The fact is that in the mornings a light milky-white fog rises above the River Thames, which on cool days may not dissipate until the evening. The Thames is a fairly large river, and the fog spreads to a decent area. So the point is not in cloudiness (and therefore, rainy weather), as many believe, but in the mysterious romantic veil of fog that covers the main river of England. Moreover, Misty Albion is rather a nickname from the past, when the streets were covered with smoke from factories and heating stoves that worked on coal. There are about 45 foggy days in London per year, most of which occur in late autumn and winter.
As in many megacities with a million people, the central part of the city has its own climate, due to human activities, a large number of buildings and lighting. This is expressed in the fact that in the center of London the climate is slightly warmer, the temperature is a couple of degrees higher than in the vicinity and nearby cities.
Winter
The winter season in London is cool and humid. The average temperature during the day is 5-7 degrees above zero. For a resident of central Russia, this may seem like fairly warm weather, but due to humidity, this temperature can feel cooler than, for example, in Moscow. In addition, sometimes a strong wind blows in London.
It usually does not snow for more than 5 days and melts immediately. There are more fogs in London in winter, sometimes they even become the cause of non-flying weather.
Monthly average temperature and weather:
- December - 5 degrees above zero, 14 rainy days.
- January - 3 degrees above zero, 16 rainy days.
- February - 4 degrees above zero, 12 rainy days.
Winter is a season of holidays, Christmas atmosphere and illumination, sales. And in early February, the winter fashion week is held.
Spring
At the beginning of March, it begins to warm, the sun appears, but short-term frosts can occur before the end of the month. In April, the weather stabilizes, and the thermometer creeps up rapidly. In May, occasional rains occur, but this month is considered one of the best for visiting the capital of Great Britain and field trips.
The average temperature and weather in London in spring:
- March - 7 degrees above zero, 14 rainy days.
- April - 10 degrees above zero, 14 rainy days.
- May - 14 degrees above zero, 12 rainy days.
London blooms very quickly, the streets are covered with greenery and flowers, daylight hours are increasing, and nature is revealing in all its glory.
Summer
This is the season of sales, summer schools and educational courses. Mostly, partly cloudy weather with clearings is maintained during the day, which makes summer a great time for exploring London. There are short-term warming and cooling.
Average temperature and weather in the summer months:
- June - 20 degrees, 11 rainy days.
- July - 23 degrees, 10 rainy days.
- August - 23 degrees above zero, 12 rainy days.
