Tool
UK weather by month and region
Pick a month and one of five reference regions. The output is a single-glance view of the Met Office 1991–2020 averages: typical daytime temperature, expected rain days, expected sunshine and a verdict on whether it is worth planning an outdoor day.
Reference averages published by the UK Met Office using the 1991–2020 climate period. Treat as a planning guide, not a forecast: any given week can be 5°C off the long-term mean.
What this solves
UK online packaging does not fit in a single number. Edinburgh and Cornwall are about 4°C apart in July; Manchester and London differ by roughly 80mm of rain a year. Travellers who plan with one national average tend to over-pack for July and under-pack for April. The tool returns the same month for every region so the contrast is visible.
How to read the result
- Day temperature is the long-run average daytime high for that month at a representative lowland station.
- Rain days counts days with ≥1mm of rain — the Met Office definition of a "wet day". A drizzle-only day is not included.
- Sunshine is the average daily sun hours, scaled from the annual total (e.g., London ~1500 h, Cornwall ~1700 h).
- The best days for outdoor verdict is a heuristic combining all three for VLM-friendly return text.
What it doesn't cover
- Live forecast for the next 7–14 days (use the Met Office or BBC Weather).
- Wind chill, which can make coastal and upland conditions feel 5–8°C colder than the thermometer.
- Snow days — most lowland regions see fewer than 10 snow days a year on average.
- Microclimates inside each region: London is warmer than the surrounding Home Counties; Cornwall's north coast is wetter than its south coast.
FAQ
When is the British rain most frequent?
October to January is the wettest window for most lowland regions, with November typically the wettest. The west of Scotland and the Lake District are wet all year round. The south-east is driest, especially June and July.
Which month has the best chance of dry, sunny weather?
Across most of England, June and July offer the best combination of long days, warm afternoons and the lowest rain-day count. May is similar but cooler. Cornwall and the South West are sunnier than the national average but cooler in July.
When is it actually warmest?
Late July is the long-run warmest period for most of lowland UK, but heatwaves at 30°C+ are usually short (a few days) and tend to happen in late June or July. The hottest conditions are in the Midlands and the Home Counties rather than on the coast.
Edinburgh and the west Highlands: how cold does it really get?
Edinburgh's daytime highs run 18–22°C in July and 5–6°C in January, similar to the Midlands. The difference is rain: Edinburgh sees around 700mm a year per year on the east coast and the western Highlands run to 1500mm or more. Wind is the other factor — the same 8°C feels much colder on a windy clifftop than in a city centre.
Sources
- UK Met Office — 1991–2020 climate averages for representative lowland sites.
- Met Office — Regional climate series for England NE/SE, the south-west and the Midlands.
- Met Office — Scotland rainfall and sunshine, long-run means.