Climate

Main article: Climate of London

London has a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb). Rainfall records have been kept in the city since
at least 1697, when records began at Kew. At Kew, the most rainfall in one month is 7.4 inches (189 mm)
in November 1755 and the least is 0 inches (0 mm) in both December 1788 and July 1800. Mile End also
had 0 inches (0 mm) in April 1893.[151] The wettest year on record is 1903, with a total fall of 38.1
inches (969 mm) and the driest is 1921, with a total fall of 12.1 inches (308 mm).[152] The average
annual precipitation amounts to about 600 mm, which is half the annual rainfall of New York City.[153]
Despite relatively low annual precipitation, London receives 109.6 rainy days on the 1.0 mm threshold
annually. London is vulnerable to climate change, and there is concern among hydrological experts that
households may run out of water before 2050.[154]

Temperature extremes in London range from 40.2 °C (104.4 °F) at Heathrow on 19 July 2022 down to
−17.4 °C (0.7 °F) at Northolt on 13 December 1981.[155][156] Records for atmospheric pressure have
been kept at London since 1692. The highest pressure ever reported is 1,049.8 millibars (31.00 inHg) on
20 January 2020.[157]

Summers are generally warm, sometimes hot. London's average July high is 23.5 °C (74.3 °F). On average
each year, London experiences 31 days above 25 °C (77.0 °F) and 4.2 days above 30.0 °C (86.0 °F). During
the 2003 European heat wave, prolonged heat led to hundreds of heat-related deaths.[158] A previous
spell of 15 consecutive days above 32.2 °C (90.0 °F) in England in 1976 also caused many heat related
deaths.[159] A previous temperature of 37.8 °C (100.0 °F) in August 1911 at the Greenwich station was
later disregarded as non-standard.[160] Droughts can also, occasionally, be a problem, especially in
summer, most recently in summer 2018, and with much drier than average conditions prevailing from
May to December.[161] However, the most consecutive days without rain was 73 days in the spring of
1893.[162]

Winters are generally cool with little temperature variation. Heavy snow is rare but snow usually falls at
least once each winter. Spring and autumn can be pleasant. As a large city, London has a considerable
urban heat island effect,[163] making the centre of London at times 5 °C (9 °F) warmer than the suburbs
and outskirts.[164]