What to wear in London from November to February: layers, a waterproof shell, shoes for wet pavement, and a packing list for rain, frost and short days.
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What to wear in London from November to February is a layers problem. Wear a warm base layer, a sweater or a packable jacket, a waterproof hooded shell, and shoes with a grip on wet stone. Add a compact umbrella, a hat and gloves, and one smarter outfit if afternoon tea or a nice dinner is booked. Leave snow boots at home unless the forecast for your dates shows snow.
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London weather, November to February
These figures are the Met Office 1991–2020 averages for the Heathrow station, on the western edge of London. We read the station page on October 23, 2026. Fahrenheit is the nearest degree to the Celsius figure.
| Month | Average high | Average low | Rain days (≥1 mm) | Air-frost days | Bright sunshine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November | 11.47°C (53°F) | 5.26°C (41°F) | 11.23 | 2.73 | 70.74 hours |
| December | 8.79°C (48°F) | 3.08°C (38°F) | 10.77 | 7.17 | 54.96 hours |
| January | 8.42°C (47°F) | 2.68°C (37°F) | 11.53 | 6.80 | 61.09 hours |
| February | 8.98°C (48°F) | 2.65°C (37°F) | 9.50 | 6.20 | 78.81 hours |
December and January highs sit in the upper 40s Fahrenheit. November reaches the low 50s. Rain falls on 9.50 to 11.53 days a month, about one day in three. November is the wettest of the four (66.63 mm) and February the driest (44.96 mm). December is also the darkest month here, with 54.96 hours of bright sunshine against 70.74 in November and 61.09 in January. That is hours the sun was shining, not sunrise-to-sunset day length, so put outdoor walks in the late morning and treat dusk as lights-and-dinner time.
What to wear in London in January is the December capsule. Air frost (7.17 days in December, 6.80 in January) means the air falls below freezing. It does not mean snow on the ground. This table does not publish days of snow lying.
The winter capsule
Pack one system you can repeat, plus a smarter outfit if the plans need it.
| Item | Why | When you will need it |
|---|---|---|
| Waterproof hooded rain jacket See waterproof hooded rain jacket on Amazon | The outer layer. Wool drinks rain. A hooded shell does not. | Most days, and any evening spent standing outside. |
| Compact windproof travel umbrella See compact windproof travel umbrella on Amazon | For the walk from a station door when a hood is a nuisance. | Wet days, and bridges where a cheap umbrella turns inside out. |
| Waterproof walking boots See waterproof walking boots on Amazon | Grip on wet stone, and a dry foot in puddles. | A full sightseeing day, and a countryside day trip. |
| Water-resistant walking sneakers See water-resistant walking sneakers on Amazon | Fine on a dry cold day, and easier in a pub. | A second pair. Not your only pair unless the week looks dry. |
| Merino wool base layer See merino wool base layer on Amazon | Warmth you can keep on indoors, without a bulky sweater. | Every day. One to wear, one spare. |
| Wool scarf See wool scarf on Amazon | The quick layer when you leave a heated station. | Daily, including dinner over the same coat. |
| Touchscreen gloves See touchscreen gloves on Amazon | Maps and tickets still need your phone. | December and January evenings, and an open-top bus. |
| Packable down jacket See packable down jacket on Amazon | A warm mid layer on its own, or under the shell in the wet. | The coldest days, a drafty pub, a boat deck. |
A wool hat you already own covers the markets and an open-top bus.
Shoes for a long day on wet stone
A sightseeing day is a long walk on pavement that stays slick after rain, plus stairs in Tube stations. Waterproof boots are the default if you bring one pair. Water-resistant sneakers work on a dry day and soak through once the rain settles in.
If tea is booked, do not wear the boots into the room. Change into shoes that are not athletic sneakers. Hotels that publish a dress code name gym shoes as a problem.
Coats and layers
Use the waterproof hooded jacket as the layer the weather hits. A wool coat looks right on a dry December evening and it holds water once the rain lasts, so wear it under the shell or leave it for dry nights. Do not make it your only coat.
Three thin pieces beat one heavy coat: a merino base layer, a light sweater, and the packable jacket. You will peel them off between a hot Tube carriage and a heated museum. The scarf, gloves and hat are for when you stop. Standing at a market or on a bridge is when you get cold.
Dressing for the plans
Afternoon tea
Tea is the plan that can change the outfit. Smart casual covers almost every hotel. The Ritz is the exception: men need a jacket and tie, and jeans are not allowed. One blazer or a simple dress, plus shoes that are not gym shoes, covers it. Venue-by-venue rules, checked on each hotel's site, are in our afternoon tea dress code guide. The teas themselves are compared in our afternoon tea guide.
The West End and pubs
Most pubs and most West End shows do not ask you to dress up. Dark jeans, a sweater and the coat you wore all day are what the room looks like. A show is not black tie unless that booking says so. If a restaurant wants a jacket, use the blazer already packed for tea.
Christmas markets and Winter Wonderland
Standing outside after dark is the coldest part of the day, because you stop walking. Hyde Park Winter Wonderland and the neighborhood markets are that kind of evening: shell on, hat and gloves too. Dates and timed entry are in our Hyde Park Winter Wonderland guide and our London Christmas markets guide. The wider season, including Christmas Day closures, is in our Christmas in London guide.
For the lights, a bus tour keeps you moving and has a lower deck when the open top is too cold. Golden Tours Gray Line London runs a live-guided loop in 90 minutes, and you can sit up top or move to the warm lower deck. Every bus and walking option is on our Christmas lights tours page.
Thames cruises
The river is colder on deck than on the street, even when the cabin is heated. Take the shell for a sightseeing or dinner cruise. Boats are compared in our Thames cruises guide.
Day-trip extras
Stonehenge stands on open Salisbury Plain, with no street of buildings to block the weather. Add the packable layer under the shell. You will not step inside to warm up. How the day works from London is in our Stonehenge tours guide.
The Cotswolds are lanes and village edges, not paved streets. After rain they are muddy, so wear the waterproof boots. Our Cotswolds day trips guide covers which villages a tour actually reaches.
Plugs and tech
The UK uses Type G sockets at 230 volts and 50 Hz. A phone or laptop charger marked for a range that includes 230 V is fine with an adapter, and a hair tool that is not stays home. Our UK plug adapter guide covers which adapter to buy. See UK Type G plug adapter on Amazon See dual-voltage USB-C charger on Amazon See USB-C power bank on Amazon
Bags and pickpockets
Use a bag that zips, and wear it where you can see it. A crossbody in front of you is harder to open on a crowded Tube or in a market than a backpack on your back. Keep the phone in a zipped pocket when you are not using it. That is ordinary advice for a busy capital, not a claim about a particular street. See crossbody anti-theft bag on Amazon
What not to pack
- A second heavy coat. One shell plus layers covers the weather.
- Snow boots as the default. Air frost is not snow on the ground. Add them only if your forecast shows snow.
- White or suede shoes you care about. Wet stone marks them on the first morning.
- Athletic sneakers as your only shoes. They fail in steady rain, and tea dress codes name gym shoes as a problem.
- A hair tool that is not rated for 230 V. An adapter will not make it safe.
- A suitcase of formal clothes. One smarter outfit covers tea and a nice dinner.
- A full-size umbrella. The compact one in the list replaces it.
