London weather in May
In May, London sees average daytime highs of 19°C and overnight lows near 8°C, with 98 mm of rain across 12.5 wet days and about 14.4 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.
Highs climb over the month, from about 16°C in the first days to 21°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.
Daylight stretches from about 13 h 54 min at the start of May to 14 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is London's 5th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see London's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 19°
- 5th warmest
- Overnight low
- 8°
- 8th coldest
- Rainfall
- 98 mm
- 12.5 wet days
- Daylight
- 14 h 30 min
- 5:08 AM – 7:35 PM
- Cloud cover
- 62%
- 5th clearest
- Wind
- 12 km/h
- 8th windiest
- Solar energy
- 6.05 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 5.6
- out of 10
London is city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada.
- Air quality
- Good
- PM2.5 7 µg/m³ · 2019
- Density
- 1,004/km²
- people per km²
- Founded
- 1826
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Temperature in May
Highs climb over the month, from about 16°C in the first days to 21°C by the end.
A typical May day in London reaches about 19°C in the afternoon and slips back to 8°C overnight — a 10°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 12°C and 26°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 6°C warmer than April and about 5°C cooler than June.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 |
| Avg low (°C) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 | 6 |
| 2 | 16 | 6 |
| 3 | 16 | 6 |
| 4 | 16 | 6 |
| 5 | 17 | 6 |
| 6 | 17 | 7 |
| 7 | 17 | 7 |
| 8 | 17 | 7 |
| 9 | 17 | 7 |
| 10 | 18 | 7 |
| 11 | 18 | 7 |
| 12 | 18 | 8 |
| 13 | 18 | 8 |
| 14 | 18 | 8 |
| 15 | 18 | 8 |
| 16 | 19 | 8 |
| 17 | 19 | 8 |
| 18 | 19 | 9 |
| 19 | 19 | 9 |
| 20 | 20 | 9 |
| 21 | 20 | 9 |
| 22 | 20 | 9 |
| 23 | 20 | 10 |
| 24 | 20 | 10 |
| 25 | 21 | 10 |
| 26 | 21 | 10 |
| 27 | 21 | 10 |
| 28 | 21 | 11 |
| 29 | 21 | 11 |
| 30 | 22 | 11 |
| 31 | 22 | 11 |
How May really feels in London
Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.
May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
London weather by month
How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1° / -8° | 72 | 11.7 | 9.6 | 9.2 | 0.0 |
| Feb | -0° / -9° | 58 | 9.5 | 8.2 | 10.2 | 0.0 |
| Mar | 5° / -4° | 70 | 10.9 | 5.7 | 11.6 | 0.4 |
| Apr | 12° / 3° | 93 | 12.4 | 2.2 | 13.1 | 3.1 |
| May | 19° / 8° | 98 | 12.5 | 0 | 14.4 | 5.6 |
| Jun | 24° / 14° | 102 | 12 | 0 | 15.1 | 6.5 |
| Jul | 26° / 16° | 100 | 11.9 | 0 | 14.8 | 6.5 |
| Aug | 25° / 15° | 84 | 10.6 | 0 | 13.8 | 6.8 |
| Sep | 21° / 11° | 86 | 9.7 | 0 | 12.3 | 6.6 |
| Oct | 14° / 6° | 86 | 11.8 | 0.2 | 10.8 | 4.1 |
| Nov | 7° / 0° | 77 | 11.1 | 3.9 | 9.5 | 1.0 |
| Dec | 2° / -5° | 68 | 11.2 | 8.1 | 8.9 | 0.0 |
Cloud cover in May
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time in May.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 56%.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 41 | 42 | 41 | 41 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 45 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 45 | 45 | 45 |
| Cloudier (%) | 59 | 58 | 59 | 59 | 58 | 58 | 58 | 58 | 58 | 57 | 57 | 57 | 57 | 57 | 57 | 56 | 55 | 55 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 55 | 55 | 55 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 41 | 59 |
| 2 | 42 | 58 |
| 3 | 41 | 59 |
| 4 | 41 | 59 |
| 5 | 42 | 58 |
| 6 | 42 | 58 |
| 7 | 42 | 58 |
| 8 | 42 | 58 |
| 9 | 42 | 58 |
| 10 | 43 | 57 |
| 11 | 43 | 57 |
| 12 | 43 | 57 |
| 13 | 43 | 57 |
| 14 | 43 | 57 |
| 15 | 43 | 57 |
| 16 | 44 | 56 |
| 17 | 45 | 55 |
| 18 | 45 | 55 |
| 19 | 44 | 56 |
| 20 | 44 | 56 |
| 21 | 44 | 56 |
| 22 | 46 | 54 |
| 23 | 46 | 54 |
| 24 | 46 | 54 |
| 25 | 46 | 54 |
| 26 | 46 | 54 |
| 27 | 46 | 54 |
| 28 | 46 | 54 |
| 29 | 45 | 55 |
| 30 | 45 | 55 |
| 31 | 45 | 55 |
Chance of precipitation in May
London gets around 98 mm of rain over 12.5 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 40% and peaks near 42% on the wettest days.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 38 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 42 |
| 2 | 42 |
| 3 | 42 |
| 4 | 42 |
| 5 | 42 |
| 6 | 42 |
| 7 | 42 |
| 8 | 42 |
| 9 | 42 |
| 10 | 42 |
| 11 | 42 |
| 12 | 42 |
| 13 | 42 |
| 14 | 41 |
| 15 | 41 |
| 16 | 41 |
| 17 | 41 |
| 18 | 40 |
| 19 | 40 |
| 20 | 40 |
| 21 | 39 |
| 22 | 39 |
| 23 | 39 |
| 24 | 38 |
| 25 | 38 |
| 26 | 38 |
| 27 | 38 |
| 28 | 38 |
| 29 | 38 |
| 30 | 38 |
| 31 | 38 |
Humidity in May
Most of May feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
By dew point, May lands in the dry band about 83% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 96 | 96 | 94 | 94 | 94 | 93 | 92 | 92 | 91 | 90 | 90 | 89 | 88 | 88 | 86 | 85 | 84 | 83 | 81 | 81 | 78 | 78 | 75 | 74 | 74 | 71 | 71 | 70 | 68 | 67 | 67 |
| Comfortable (%) | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 |
| Humid (%) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
| Muggy (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 96 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | 96 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 3 | 94 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | 94 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 5 | 94 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 6 | 93 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| 7 | 92 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| 8 | 92 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| 9 | 91 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| 10 | 90 | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| 11 | 90 | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| 12 | 89 | 6 | 5 | 0 |
| 13 | 88 | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| 14 | 88 | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| 15 | 86 | 8 | 6 | 0 |
| 16 | 85 | 8 | 6 | 1 |
| 17 | 84 | 9 | 6 | 1 |
| 18 | 83 | 9 | 7 | 1 |
| 19 | 81 | 10 | 8 | 1 |
| 20 | 81 | 10 | 8 | 1 |
| 21 | 78 | 11 | 9 | 2 |
| 22 | 78 | 11 | 9 | 2 |
| 23 | 75 | 12 | 10 | 3 |
| 24 | 74 | 12 | 11 | 3 |
| 25 | 74 | 12 | 11 | 3 |
| 26 | 71 | 13 | 12 | 4 |
| 27 | 71 | 13 | 12 | 4 |
| 28 | 70 | 14 | 12 | 4 |
| 29 | 68 | 14 | 13 | 5 |
| 30 | 67 | 15 | 13 | 5 |
| 31 | 67 | 15 | 13 | 5 |
Wind in May
Winds average 12 km/h in May.
Across May, daily wind ranges from about 12 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Feels | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | calm | calm | calm |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 | light breeze |
| 2 | 13 | light breeze |
| 3 | 13 | light breeze |
| 4 | 13 | light breeze |
| 5 | 13 | light breeze |
| 6 | 13 | light breeze |
| 7 | 13 | light breeze |
| 8 | 13 | light breeze |
| 9 | 13 | light breeze |
| 10 | 13 | light breeze |
| 11 | 13 | light breeze |
| 12 | 13 | light breeze |
| 13 | 13 | light breeze |
| 14 | 13 | light breeze |
| 15 | 13 | light breeze |
| 16 | 13 | light breeze |
| 17 | 13 | light breeze |
| 18 | 13 | light breeze |
| 19 | 12 | light breeze |
| 20 | 12 | light breeze |
| 21 | 12 | light breeze |
| 22 | 12 | light breeze |
| 23 | 12 | light breeze |
| 24 | 12 | light breeze |
| 25 | 12 | light breeze |
| 26 | 12 | light breeze |
| 27 | 12 | light breeze |
| 28 | 12 | light breeze |
| 29 | 12 | calm |
| 30 | 12 | calm |
| 31 | 12 | calm |
Sunrise & sunset in May
Daylight runs from about 13 h 54 min at the start of May to 14 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days grow by about 60 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:26 AM to 4:55 AM, and sunset from 7:18 PM to 7:49 PM.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 13.9 | 13.9 | 13.9 | 14.0 | 14.0 | 14.1 | 14.1 | 14.2 | 14.2 | 14.2 | 14.3 | 14.3 | 14.3 | 14.4 | 14.4 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.7 | 14.7 | 14.7 | 14.7 | 14.8 | 14.8 | 14.8 | 14.9 | 14.9 | 14.9 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 5:26 | 5:25 | 5:24 | 5:22 | 5:21 | 5:19 | 5:18 | 5:17 | 5:16 | 5:14 | 5:13 | 5:12 | 5:11 | 5:10 | 5:09 | 5:08 | 5:06 | 5:05 | 5:04 | 5:04 | 5:03 | 5:02 | 5:01 | 5:00 | 4:59 | 4:59 | 4:58 | 4:57 | 4:56 | 4:56 | 4:55 |
| Sunset (PM) | 7:18 | 7:19 | 7:20 | 7:21 | 7:23 | 7:24 | 7:25 | 7:26 | 7:27 | 7:28 | 7:29 | 7:30 | 7:32 | 7:33 | 7:34 | 7:35 | 7:36 | 7:37 | 7:38 | 7:39 | 7:40 | 7:41 | 7:42 | 7:43 | 7:44 | 7:45 | 7:46 | 7:47 | 7:48 | 7:49 | 7:49 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13.9 | 5:26 | 7:18 |
| 2 | 13.9 | 5:25 | 7:19 |
| 3 | 13.9 | 5:24 | 7:20 |
| 4 | 14.0 | 5:22 | 7:21 |
| 5 | 14.0 | 5:21 | 7:23 |
| 6 | 14.1 | 5:19 | 7:24 |
| 7 | 14.1 | 5:18 | 7:25 |
| 8 | 14.2 | 5:17 | 7:26 |
| 9 | 14.2 | 5:16 | 7:27 |
| 10 | 14.2 | 5:14 | 7:28 |
| 11 | 14.3 | 5:13 | 7:29 |
| 12 | 14.3 | 5:12 | 7:30 |
| 13 | 14.3 | 5:11 | 7:32 |
| 14 | 14.4 | 5:10 | 7:33 |
| 15 | 14.4 | 5:09 | 7:34 |
| 16 | 14.5 | 5:08 | 7:35 |
| 17 | 14.5 | 5:06 | 7:36 |
| 18 | 14.5 | 5:05 | 7:37 |
| 19 | 14.6 | 5:04 | 7:38 |
| 20 | 14.6 | 5:04 | 7:39 |
| 21 | 14.6 | 5:03 | 7:40 |
| 22 | 14.7 | 5:02 | 7:41 |
| 23 | 14.7 | 5:01 | 7:42 |
| 24 | 14.7 | 5:00 | 7:43 |
| 25 | 14.7 | 4:59 | 7:44 |
| 26 | 14.8 | 4:59 | 7:45 |
| 27 | 14.8 | 4:58 | 7:46 |
| 28 | 14.8 | 4:57 | 7:47 |
| 29 | 14.9 | 4:56 | 7:48 |
| 30 | 14.9 | 4:56 | 7:49 |
| 31 | 14.9 | 4:55 | 7:49 |
Solar energy in May
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.05 kWh/m².
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.32 kWh/m² to a high of 6.57 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 6.05 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 5.6 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.4 | 6.4 |
| Level | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5.6 | Bright |
| 2 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 3 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 4 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 5 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 6 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 7 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 8 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 9 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 10 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 11 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 12 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 13 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 14 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 15 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 16 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 17 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 18 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 19 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 20 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 21 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 22 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 23 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 24 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 25 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 26 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 27 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 28 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 29 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 30 | 6.4 | Intense |
| 31 | 6.4 | Intense |
Is May a good time to visit London?
Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
May is a reasonable time to visit London for sightseeing.
What to pack for London in May
From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In May, London sees daytime highs around 19°C and nights near 8°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 13 days see rain.
Sea temperature near London in May
The nearest coast averages about 10°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 41 km away) is warmest in August at about 23°C and coldest in February near 1°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 5 to Sep 20 — about 2.6 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 17 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 16 | 10 | 5 |
| Comfort | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Cool | Bracing | Bracing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2 | Bracing |
| Feb | 1 | Bracing |
| Mar | 1 | Bracing |
| Apr | 4 | Bracing |
| May | 10 | Bracing |
| Jun | 17 | Cool |
| Jul | 22 | Refreshing |
| Aug | 23 | Refreshing |
| Sep | 21 | Refreshing |
| Oct | 16 | Cool |
| Nov | 10 | Bracing |
| Dec | 5 | Bracing |
UV index in London in May
Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in London peaks around June 23 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 1 (low).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Level | Low | Moderate | Moderate | High | High | Very high | Very high | High | High | Moderate | Low | Low |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1 | Low |
| Feb | 2 | Moderate |
| Mar | 4 | Moderate |
| Apr | 5 | High |
| May | 7 | High |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 9 | Very high |
| Aug | 7 | High |
| Sep | 6 | High |
| Oct | 3 | Moderate |
| Nov | 2 | Low |
| Dec | 1 | Low |
Where is London?
London sits at 43.0°N, 81.2°W, 252 m above sea level, in Canada. The nearest listed city is St. Thomas, 24 km away.
Topography around London
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of London.
Within 3 km, the terrain around London has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 62 m around an average of 253 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 118 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 271 m.
The land around London is covered by artificial surfaces (53%) and trees (36%) within 3 km, cropland (48%) and trees (24%) within 16 km, and cropland (57%) and water (22%) within 80 km.
Canada travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 1
- Exercise Normal Precautions
- Power plugs
- Type A / B
- 120 V · 60 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 83% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $55,698
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.7 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 97%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 2
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 5.3
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- High
- World Bank
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for London (42.9834°, -81.233°, elevation 252 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).