Best Time to Visit Great Britain (Climate Chart and Table)

Return to Elie (Remix) (EXPLORED) (Chris Combe) [flickr.com] CC BY
License Information available under 'Proof of Image Sources'

Here, you will find information about the climate and the best time to travel for the holiday destination Great Britain. The destination consists of the following regions: Northern Ireland, England, Wales und Scotland.

First, you will find a quick overview over the climate of all regions. Furthermore, you will find more information about the climate of any destination by navigating to the detail page of a region. There, you will have access to exact climate information including climate tables and charts containing information about temperatures, precipitation and more.

Finally, we analyzed all climate data and conclude with a recommendation for the best time to travel for all regions of the destination Great Britain. So you will know which months have the best weather for your holiday.

Northern Ireland

2 °C to 18 °C

7 °C to 13 °C

2.05 – 3.43 in (10 – 16 Days of Rain)

Show temperatures in degree

Best Time to Travel: May, June, July, August, and September

More details: Climate of Northern Ireland

England

2 °C to 22 °C

7 °C to 17 °C

1.42 – 3.98 in (10 – 18 Days of Rain)

Average Annual Temperature is between 9.7 °C (Liverpool) and 11 °C (London)

Show temperatures in degree

Best Time to Travel: June, July, August, and September
Good Time to Travel: May, June, July, August, September, and October

More details: Climate of England

Wales

2 °C to 20 °C

9 °C to 17 °C

2.24 – 3.94 in (9 – 15 Days of Rain)

Show temperatures in degree

Best Time to Travel: June, July, August, and September

More details: Climate of Wales

Scotland

0 °C to 19 °C

7 °C to 15 °C

1.61 – 3.43 in (9 – 17 Days of Rain)

Average Annual Temperature is between 7.9 °C (Aberdeen) and 8.5 °C (Edinburgh)

Show temperatures in degree

Best Time to Travel: June, July, and August
Good Time to Travel: June, July, August, and September

More details: Climate of Scotland

Geographical location

The island of Great Britain is located in the Atlantic Ocean in northwestern Europe. Great Britain is separated from mainland Europe by the English Channel and is divided into three parts. Scotland lies in the north of the island, Wales in the west and England in the south.

More than 60 million people live on an area of about 219.0 square miles. This results in a population density of 276 inhabitants per square kilometre. The capital of the island is London in its metropolitan region alone around 14 million people live. Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, Cardiff the capital of Wales.

Other British islands such as Ireland and the Isle of Man are in the vicinity. These are complemented by about 1000 small and mostly uninhabited islands. These are part of the British Isles, but do not belong to Great Britain. From Düsseldorf you can reach London by plane in about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Climate in Great Britain

The Atlantic island has a humid oceanic climate. This is characterized by moderately warm summers and cool winter months. The Gulf Stream has a decisive influence on the climate. The insularity of Great Britain causes changeable weather all year round.

The southwest of the British Isles is particularly marked by the Gulf Stream. This brings a lot of warm air and ensures that even in winter the temperatures in Cornwall and the far south do not drop below 8 °C. Even in Wales, temperatures do not usually drop below zero degrees Celsius at night.

In London temperatures rise up to 22 °C in summer, in western Liverpool they end at 20 °C. In the north of Great Britain, up to 0.08 in of precipitation can fall annually, in the south it is only up to 19.69 in.

When to go to the UK?

In the winter months there is little sunshine in Great Britain, the days are quite short and it rains a lot. The best time to travel is between June and September. During this period, precipitation is lower than in the spring and winter months. The temperatures are also much more pleasant.

With more than 20 °C and up to seven hours of sunshine a day, there really seems to be a real summer on the island. Those interested in British botany should arrive in the spring month of May. Gardens and parks blossom with colour and offer wonderful opportunities for long walks and hikes.

The summer months are suitable for city trips due to the climate. Here, however, one has to reckon with a large crowd of people. The capital London in particular is well attended in summer. Additional waiting times must be planned for attractions and highlights.

Highlights and Attractions

The capital London has a lot of cultural highlights to offer. The open Shakespeare Globe Theatre is a real attraction that should not be missed. In addition to London, the capital of Wales is also recommended as a travel destination.

Cardiff is a turbid city that offers cultural highlights such as Cardiff Castle and Bute Park. Queen Street and Cardiff Market offer a variety of shopping opportunities for young and old.

Edinburgh, Scotland’s impressive capital, combines centuries of history with a modern and cosmopolitan charm. Attractions like Edinburgh Castle or the Gallery of Modern Art should be included in every travel planner.