Skip to content
Garden Forward
A frosted glass globe of the Earth resting on bright green moss with sunlit foliage behind
Shutterstock

Climate Passport

London, Greater London, England, United Kingdom

Deeper coverage: United Kingdom. Measured climate, plus written guides, plant status registers and seller links for this country.

Loading the measured climate record for this location…

What this means for your garden

A long growing season with mild winters lets you grow a wide plant range, but summer soil moisture is now the limiting factor in many London gardens.

Typical summer day

31°C

Average high in the warmest month — not the hottest day

Typical winter night

-3°C

Average low in the coldest month — not the hardest frost

Growing season

255 days

620 mm of rain a year, spread through the year, wettest october to january

All measurements for this location
Climate classification:
Temperate maritime, mild winters, warm urban summers
Rainfall:
620 mm per year
Rainfall distribution:
Spread through the year, wettest October to January
Drought tendency:
moderate
Frost pattern:
Light frosts November to March, urban heat island reduces frequency
Humidity:
Moderate, rarely oppressive
Wind exposure:
Sheltered in most suburban gardens
Data coverage and confidence:
Deep local coverage · high confidence
Source period:
1991–2020 normals (demonstration values)

Recent significant anomalies

  • 40.3°C recorded in July 2022
  • Notably dry spring seasons in recent years

Future outlook

These are scenario ranges and directions of change, not predictions. Use them to choose plants and projects that also perform well in today's conditions.

2035 outlook

Scenario: Mid-range emissions pathway

Warmer and drier summers, wetter and milder winters

Typical summer day:
+0.5 to +1.5°C warmer
Hot days that stress plants:
3–8 more each year
Water and drought:
higher
Heavy rain and waterlogging:
higher
Frost, confidence and how this was produced
Frost and planting windows:
Slightly shorter frost season, last frost likely a little earlier
Confidence:
medium — uncertainty increases with distance into the future

2050 outlook

Scenario: Mid-range emissions pathway

Longer dry spells punctuated by intense rainfall

Typical summer day:
+1.2 to +3°C warmer
Hot days that stress plants:
8–20 more each year
Water and drought:
much higher
Heavy rain and waterlogging:
higher
Frost, confidence and how this was produced
Frost and planting windows:
Frost windows shorter and less reliable; earlier growth restart
Confidence:
medium — uncertainty increases with distance into the future

Climate analogue explorer

Climate similarity does not mean the locations are identical. Soil, daylight, pests, local ecology and extreme events may all differ. Use analogues to borrow technique first, plant lists second.

Similar today

Lille, France

Similarity 88%

Temperature:
Very similar summer and winter means
Rainfall and seasonality:
Slightly wetter through summer
Frost:
Comparable light frosts
Heat:
Fewer extreme days
Drought:
Lower

Planting palettes transfer closely between these two climates.

Possible 2050 analogue

Bordeaux, France

Similarity 71%

Temperature:
Hotter, longer summers
Rainfall and seasonality:
Similar annual total, more concentrated in winter
Frost:
Fewer frosts
Heat:
Many more days above 30°C
Drought:
Pronounced summer dry period

Gardeners there rely on deep mulch, shade from established trees and Mediterranean-adapted perennials.

What to do next

Save a Garden Profile and this record becomes the basis for your plant list and action plan.