London · Month comparison

February vs May

May ranks #1 overall vs February at #9. Chelsea Flower Show, warm parks, 18°C — London at its most seductive before summer prices arrive.

London February — Tower Bridge under a grey overcast winter sky

February

#9 of 12 months

Strong option

London's driest winter month — marginally brighter than January, with BAFTA and half-term energy.

  • ↑February is London's driest winter month (40mm) — statistically the best odds of a clear winter day
  • ↑BAFTA Film Awards (typically mid-February) bring a quiet cinephile energy to the Southbank and West End
London May — sunlight filtering through tall trees in Hyde Park on a warm spring afternoon

May

#1 of 12 months

Best match

Chelsea Flower Show, warm parks, 18°C — London at its most seductive before summer prices arrive.

  • ↑Chelsea Flower Show (third week of May): world-famous garden event with real local excitement around it
  • ↑Royal Parks in full green: Londoners picnic in Hyde Park, Regent's Park, and Hampstead Heath in earnest
FactorFebruaryMay
Weather score
3
8
Value score
9
6
Crowd score
9
6
Events score
4
8
Atmosphere
5
8
Avg high temp9°C18°C
Monthly rain40mm49mm
Daily sunshine2.8hrs6.4hrs

February trade-offs

  • ↓Still only 2.8 hours of sun per day — the cold and grey are essentially unchanged from January
  • ↓Half-term school holidays (mid-February) briefly spike family attractions and some hotel rates
  • ↓The theatre and gallery calendar hasn't yet reached the richness of spring and autumn seasons

May trade-offs

  • ↓Prices climbing toward summer — a week at a 3-star central hotel costs noticeably more than March
  • ↓Chelsea Flower Show week sees south-west London traffic disruption and accommodation pressure
  • ↓Half-term (late May bank holiday) briefly crowding family attractions across the city
See all 12 months for London →February in detail →May in detail →
Scores compare months within London. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →