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The stereotypes about the weather are exaggerated. It's nowhere near as wet as people think, the temperatures are perfectly livable, and comfortable for a city where lots of people walk around in suits all day. The main problem in terms of climate is the cloud, it's definitely a cloudy city throughout most of the year.
The main turn-off for me is the high cost of living. It's not an easy place to live unless you have a very good job.
The stereotypes about the weather are exaggerated. It's nowhere near as wet as people think, the temperatures are perfectly livable, and comfortable for a city where lots of people walk around in suits all day. The main problem in terms of climate is the cloud, it's definitely a cloudy city throughout most of the year.
The main turn-off for me is the high cost of living. It's not an easy place to live unless you have a very good job.
That's what I hear--very, very expensive. We stay at places outside the city to save money. The weather is okay--nice and mild--and definitely better than many or most US cities with their ice/snow in the north or steamy heat in the south. I have not been there in winter but summer was gorgeous, as were spring and autumn. If you like tropical weather, no, London wouldn't be the place.
Well it's a given that London is expensive, but it seems at least from personal experience that weather still a nuisance for most.
Well, since all good Brits are probably asleep by now and I'm over here in the USA, awake, I'll just say that I have been to London and the London area many times and have never had bad weather. Weather is relative and for me it's easier to compare it with what we have in the USA.
I have a relative in the Cotswolds, not far from London, and her weather is beautiful. Spring, summer, autumn. On facebook in winter she will post a picture of icicles on her house. Well, that's nothing compared to several feet of snow on the ground in the northern USA all winter--and our winter gets really bad from Jan-April. By March, over there, they are looking at flowers!
Our American summers, even in the north, are hot and muggy. We have no spring, for the most part. In the southern USA, summer is a time of sweltering heat and humidity and lasts about 5-6 miserable months. They have nice winters.
If you mean the famous rain that we always heard about in London, all I find is showers, not pouring, drenching rain that lasts all day long. I've mostly seen showers after which the sun comes out. In spring I've had it about 13C in London, which was fine. Often it was warmer. No snow, no ice. It stays mild enough so that palm trees live year round. I've heard of people getting stuck with rainy spring visits over there, but that's what happens in spring anywhere: rain.
I have no experience with winter there. Probably raw and cold, but not that cold. My husband came from England. He had no winter clothes. The light jacket he had was fine for London--worthless for here. He had no winter boots either so I don't think they get much snow. It's headline news if they get a smattering of snow. He does say that there is wet snow and that can be awful. But even my relatives in Yorkshire (north) told me that last winter there was only ONE day that they couldn't go out all winter long.
The Brits will chime in, I hope. They will know a lot more.
Well, since all good Brits are probably asleep by now and I'm over here in the USA, awake, I'll just say that I have been to London and the London area many times and have never had bad weather. Weather is relative and for me it's easier to compare it with what we have in the USA.
I have a relative in the Cotswolds, not far from London, and her weather is beautiful. Spring, summer, autumn. On facebook in winter she will post a picture of icicles on her house. Well, that's nothing compared to several feet of snow on the ground in the northern USA all winter--and our winter gets really bad from Jan-April. By March, over there, they are looking at flowers!
Our American summers, even in the north, are hot and muggy. We have no spring, for the most part. In the southern USA, summer is a time of sweltering heat and humidity and lasts about 5-6 miserable months. They have nice winters.
If you mean the famous rain that we always heard about in London, all I find is showers, not pouring, drenching rain that lasts all day long. I've mostly seen showers after which the sun comes out. In spring I've had it about 13C in London, which was fine. Often it was warmer. No snow, no ice. It stays mild enough so that palm trees live year round. I've heard of people getting stuck with rainy spring visits over there, but that's what happens in spring anywhere: rain.
I have no experience with winter there. Probably raw and cold, but not that cold. My husband came from England. He had no winter clothes. The light jacket he had was fine for London--worthless for here. He had no winter boots either so I don't think they get much snow. It's headline news if they get a smattering of snow. He does say that there is wet snow and that can be awful. But even my relatives in Yorkshire (north) told me that last winter there was only ONE day that they couldn't go out all winter long.
The Brits will chime in, I hope. They will know a lot more.
Thanks for the reply, i am used to the mediterranean weather so yes i am a bit spoiled but still, excluding summer, London is pretty gloomy and damp.
Thanks for the reply, i am used to the mediterranean weather so yes i am a bit spoiled but still, excluding summer, London is pretty gloomy and damp.
To you, with that great climate, it might seem that way. To me, with the rotten climate, London is mild and it's sunny enough in spring and autumn. To see a flower growing in the ground in early March (winter) was amazing to me. The biggest downside to me is the prices in London.
This question is never really answered, but it is assumed that London gets more rain than sun. This is not actually true. One of the main reasons London is associated with bad weather is because on several occasions people visit London only for it to rain for a whole week. This then gets talked about, and even publicized more than if the same people got a week of sunshine. And while lamenting the weather is almost woven into British DNA, they just tend to forget British Weather Facts
- The average number of days on which rain falls in London each year is less than in Paris, Santander (Spain) and Wellington (New Zealand). In fact Britain ranks a comfortable 46th in a chart of worldwide average rainfall, falling well behind such countries as New Zealand (29th) and even the USA (25th).
- London is drier than Rome, New York, Brisbane, Istanbul, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo
- The average minimum daily temperature in London is higher than that in Seattle, Dublin and Toronto.
- The highest number of foggy days in any month has only been 4. Thus the "foggy London" tag should be laid to rest.
The whole culture is based on complaining about the weather, it's what binds British people together.
This question is never really answered, but it is assumed that London gets more rain than sun. This is not actually true. One of the main reasons London is associated with bad weather is because on several occasions people visit London only for it to rain for a whole week. This then gets talked about, and even publicized more than if the same people got a week of sunshine. And while lamenting the weather is almost woven into British DNA, they just tend to forget British Weather Facts
- The average number of days on which rain falls in London each year is less than in Paris, Santander (Spain) and Wellington (New Zealand). In fact Britain ranks a comfortable 46th in a chart of worldwide average rainfall, falling well behind such countries as New Zealand (29th) and even the USA (25th).
- London is drier than Rome, New York, Brisbane, Istanbul, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo
- The average minimum daily temperature in London is higher than that in Seattle, Dublin and Toronto.
- The highest number of foggy days in any month has only been 4. Thus the "foggy London" tag should be laid to rest.
The whole culture is based on complaining about the weather, it's what binds British people together.
The thing is not the amount of rainfal but the distribution . I go to Rio twice a month and despite rainning harder the sun is out most time of the year.
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