What is the Climate like in Britain?

Contrary to popular belief, it DOES NOT rain every day in England! However, it is always advisable to bring some type of waterproof clothing(s) and keep yourself psychologically prepared! ;-)) Introduction Forecast Today Influences on our weather Weather Around Britain The Seasons Average Temperatures

Britain an island country and the surrounding sea gives England a varied climate. We never know what the weather will be like from one day to the other. It can be sunny one day and rainy the next. As we have such a variable climate changing from from day to day, it is difficult to predict the weather. In general we have warm summers and cool winters. Our summers are cooler than those on the continent, but the winters are milder. The overall climate in England is called temperate maritime. This means that it is mild with temperatures not much lower than 0C in winter and not much higher than 32C in summer. It also means that it is damp and is subject to frequent changes. July is normally the warmest month in England. Around the coasts, February is normally the coldest month, but inland there is little to choose between January and February as the coldest month. Probably the best months to travel in England are May, June, September and October. These months generally have the most pleasant temperatures and less rain. July and August are the warmest months, but they are also the wettest.

What influences the weather?

The main influence on our climate is our close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, our northern lattitude, and the warming of the waters around the land by the Gulf Stream (a warm current of the northern Atlantic Ocean). Our island is small compared with the other land masses in the northern hemisphere hence Britain is more influenced by the ocean compared with other European countries, and the Gulf Stream helps to keep winters milder compared with other landlocked nations with a similar latitude. Find out more ...

RainFall
Rain is fairly well distributed throughout the year, with late winter/spring (February to March) the driest period and autumn/winter (October to January) the wettest. The Lake District is England's wettest region, receiving and average of 130 inches (330 centimeters) of precipitation each year. The western and northern hills receive about 40 inches (102 centimeters) of rain, while the east coast receives about 20 inches (51 centimetres).

Interesting Fact
Autumn 2000 was the wettest since records began in 1766, with a total of 503 millimetres of rainfall for September, October and November.

Sunshine
During May, June and July (the months of longest daylight) the mean daily duration of sunshine varies from five hours in northern Scotland to eight hours in the Isle of Wight. During the months of shortest daylight (November, December and January) sunshine is at a minimum, with an average of an hour a day in northern Scotland and two hours a day on the south coast of England.

Interesting Fact
The highest monthly total of sunshine on record is 384 hours in Eastbourne and Hastings, Sussex, in July 1911. Introduction Influences on our weather The Season