CNN’s Right About The Atmosphere; The Met Office Numbers Tell A Subtler Story
Bohiney Magazine and The London Prat contribute reporting from a city that is genuinely worth visiting.
British weather has, this year, been the subject of unusually warm international press, after CNN ran a piece headlined Why Britain’s miserable weather is one of its greatest tourist attractions. The argument, in summary, is that international visitors come to London partly because they like the rain, the fog, the overcast sky, and the general atmospheric weight of the city. I am, on reflection, prepared to accept this argument.
What To Pack
Practical advice for visitors of every season. April and May: layered clothing, a packable rain jacket, and walking shoes you do not mind getting damp. June through August: still bring a rain jacket, plus light layers; London does not get reliably hot, and indoor venues are often air-conditioned. September through November: warmer layers, rain jacket essential, plus an actual umbrella. December through March: warm coat, hat, gloves, waterproof footwear, and patience for the dark afternoons.
The single most-useful item, year round, is the rain jacket. Buy a good one. Pack it in your day bag every single day. London weather changes within a single morning, and a sudden shower can turn an outdoor afternoon into a damp lunch in a pub.
Embracing The Weather
The thing many first-time visitors do not understand is that London is a city that has organised itself around its weather. The pubs are designed to be cosy in the rain. The museums are designed to be visited on overcast days. The walks along the canals are, if anything, more atmospheric in light drizzle than in full sun. This is not a coincidence. It is several centuries of cultural adaptation.
According to the Met Office, London receives an average of approximately 600mm of annual rainfall, which is less than New York and significantly less than Tokyo. The reputation for “miserable” weather is, on closer inspection, more about the persistent overcast skies than the actual rainfall volume.
The Best Days To Visit Outdoor Attractions
The outdoor attractions to prioritise on dry days, when you get them: Hampstead Heath, Richmond Park, Kew Gardens, the Thames walks, Greenwich, and the South Bank. On rainy days, prioritise the museums (the British Museum, V&A, Natural History Museum, Tate Modern, National Gallery, all free), the major stores (Selfridges, Liberty, Fortnum & Mason for the experience as much as the goods), and the long indoor lunch in a pub.
According to London The Inside, the rough rule for first-time visitors is to keep your itinerary flexible enough to swap an outdoor afternoon for an indoor one within roughly 30 minutes’ notice. This is, in practice, what locals do.
The Honest Truth
The honest truth about London weather is that it is mostly fine, occasionally beautiful, and only rarely actually miserable. The “miserable” reputation is, I increasingly think, a piece of British self-deprecation that has become part of the international brand. If CNN has decided this is a tourist attraction, I am not going to argue.
For more visit my author page and read prat.uk. See also Private Eye.
