What's the Weather in London?

Shining sunlight on popular misconceptions about London's weather.

Let's face it: London has a reputation for lousy weather. Think London, think fog, after all. When considering England's capital, mist and rain fill the popular consciousness just as readily as tea and crumpets. But does reality match our imaginations?

Temperature

London's temperatures don't reach the extremes we see in Toronto and most other Canadian cities. In the summer, the weather can reach heights of 23℃, making the days balmy and pleasant without the sticky, sweaty quality of Canadian summers. You'll keep cool without breaking a sweat. In winter, the minimum temperature doesn't fall below 0℃, which means even in January you can get away with a jacket, not a parka.

Rainfall

Okay, but London's really rainy, right? Well, can you believe that London gets less rainfall than Toronto? It's true! Despite London's reputation for ubiquitous drizzle, we see a lot more precipitation falling in Canada than the UK. All year long, across the board, Toronto gets more millilitres of rain than London! Much more snow, too.

Sunshine

London does lag behind Toronto in average hours of sunshine per day. In winter, Londoners can expect an average of just two hours of sunlight per day, while Toronto enjoys three. A slight distinction, to be sure, but it becomes more pronounced in summer: while London sees roughly six hours of daylight throughout the summer, Toronto's sunshine is more varied, with a peak in July of over eight hours. Of course, if you're concerned about your tan, you could try Portugal, where folks enjoy around 10 hours of sun a day at the height of summer!

London Calling

If London — with its many attractions and amenities, proximity to Europe, and, yes, pleasant weather — sounds good to you, you owe it to yourself to check out Middlesex University. Get to know our campus and our culture, and keep dry while you do!