London in February: weather, events and what to do

The Met Office's 1991-2020 climate averages for its Heathrow station, west of the center, give February an average daily high of 9.0°C (about 48°F) and an average low of 2.7°C (about 37°F). Its Hampstead station in north London runs a little colder: a high of 8.1°C (47°F) and a low of 2.3°C (36°F). For comparison, Heathrow's January high is 8.4°C, so February is about half a degree milder on average.

• Rain: 45mm (about 1.8 inches) at Heathrow over about 9.5 days with at least 1mm, and 51mm (about 2 inches) at Hampstead over about 10.7 days. That is drier than January's 59mm at Heathrow. Expect showers and drizzle more than downpours.
• Frost: about 6 nights of air frost at Heathrow and 7 to 8 at Hampstead in an average February. Cold mornings are normal; the station tables do not give snow figures, so don't plan around snow.
• Sunshine: about 79 hours at Heathrow and 76 at Hampstead for the whole month, under three hours a day. That is a clear step up from January's 61 hours at Heathrow, but gray is still the default.

These are long-term averages, not a forecast. Check the Met Office forecast the week before you fly, and remember that the temperature at the river or on a windy bridge feels lower than the number on the chart.

We list only dates that an official source has published. Others may be announced closer to the time; we'll add them when they are.

Chinese New Year, February 6 to 20

Chinatown London's own site lists Chinese New Year as February 6 to 20, 2027, billed as the Year of the Goat, with lion dances and feasts around Gerrard Street and the surrounding lanes. February 6 is a Saturday. The page says more information is coming soon and, as of October 28, 2026, it doesn't give a parade day, route or start time. We would not book a trip around a specific parade slot until those are posted on the official Chinatown page.

Chinatown sits a short walk from Leicester Square and Covent Garden, so it pairs easily with a show or a museum day. Expect the streets around Gerrard Street to be busy on the weekends inside that window.

Valentine's Day, Sunday, February 14

Valentine's Day falls on a Sunday in 2027, which suits a long lunch better than a rushed dinner. Two bookings that work at any time of year: afternoon tea, which suits a Sunday afternoon, and a West End show, though you should check your show's Sunday schedule before you plan the evening. If you want a restaurant table for the day, reserve as soon as you know your dates.

School half-term, February 15 to 19

Term dates are set by each local council in England, so there is no single London-wide figure. Tower Hamlets Council lists spring half-term as Monday, February 15 to Friday, February 19, 2027, and many other London boroughs follow the same week, but some schools differ. The practical effect for visitors: the Natural History Museum itself says weekends and school holidays can be busy, with queues, and family attractions will be too. If you can choose, avoid that Monday-to-Friday block for the big museums, or book tickets and arrive at opening.

If you were hoping to ride the London Eye, note that the official site says it closes for annual maintenance throughout January. It doesn't say anything about February, so check londoneye.com for the dates you want. Our London Eye tickets guide has more.

February rewards a plan with a roof. These are the options we'd put first, all in or near the center.

• The National Gallery: free to visit, open daily from 10am to 6pm and until 9pm on Fridays, according to its official visit page. Its published closures are December 24 to 26 and January 1, so February is clear, though building work can close some rooms. The Friday late opening makes a good evening plan.
• The Natural History Museum: free galleries, daily from 10am, with last entry at 5:30pm. The museum recommends booking a free ticket to guarantee entry, which matters in half-term week.
• The Churchill War Rooms: the underground wartime bunker under Whitehall is the best rainy-day history visit in the city. Our Churchill War Rooms tickets guide compares every way in and has the current official details.
• A West End matinee: a 2:30pm curtain puts the dark, cold part of the afternoon inside a warm theater. Our West End show tickets guide explains how to book.
• Afternoon tea: the classic cold-weather outing. Compare tea rooms and tours in our afternoon tea guide.
• Kew Gardens' glasshouses: if you want some green in winter, our Kew Gardens guide covers what to see; check Kew's own site for the current hours and closures before you go.

Pair one indoor anchor with a short walk, and you'll rarely be outside for more than an hour at a stretch, which is about right for a typical February afternoon.

Walking tours still run in winter. All three below were available for February dates when we checked on October 28, 2026, and all three offer a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before departure. Two of them (the 30+ sights and the top-sights tours) say the operator may cancel for bad weather, so keep your plans flexible in storms. Our London in January guide covers the indoor tours that suit the coldest weeks.

London sightseeing walking tour with 30+ sights

See The Sights Tours's 5 hours outing is the one to pick if you have a single day and want the headline sights. It starts at the top of the steps at St Paul's Station (Exit 2), next to Caffe Nero on Newgate Street, where your guide holds a yellow umbrella. You walk through the City of London past St Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London, take a lunch break near Tower Hill at your own expense, ride the Tube once to Westminster for Big Ben and the Abbey, and finish at Buckingham Palace. Groups are capped at 25, the walk is about 5 miles and nothing is entered, so it is not suitable for wheelchairs or anyone with mobility difficulties. Each guest needs a contactless card or Oyster for the Tube leg.

Secret walking tour of central London

Fun London Tours Ltd's tour is the short one: 1.5 hours through old alleys, gas-lit lanes and atmospheric pubs, with the world's smallest police station among the stops. It starts at the equestrian statue of King Charles I at Charing Cross and ends at Piccadilly Circus, so it slots neatly between a morning at the National Gallery and an afternoon in the West End. Groups are limited to 20, a moderate level of fitness is expected and dogs other than guide dogs aren't allowed. Unlike the other two, this operator doesn't list a bad-weather cancellation, so dress for the weather rather than hoping for a cancellation.

London 30 top sights with a local guide

Top Sights Tours Group LLC runs a 5 hours walk from The Ritz on Piccadilly that covers Green Park, Buckingham Palace, Westminster, the South Bank and the Tower. The listing says the 10am tour sees the Changing of the Guard on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays; the operator publishes that schedule, so confirm the day with the Household Division's official notices before you rely on it. The tour ends at King William Street, groups usually run 10 to 20 with a shared-tour maximum of 40, and it operates in all weather, so bring layers and a hood. The listing describes it as wheelchair accessible and stroller friendly. You pay your own Tube fare and enter none of the paid attractions.

If you'd rather spend the day indoors, the Westminster tours guide compares Abbey and Parliament options, and our Churchill War Rooms guide covers the underground bunker.

Dress for cold and damp, in layers you can take off. Locals wear a warm coat over a sweater and peel down in overheated shops, museums and the Tube.

• A water-resistant coat with a hood. Wind can make umbrellas hard work on bridges and along the river, so a hood is the safer choice, though a compact umbrella is useful in town.
• Waterproof shoes or boots with a good grip. Walking tours mean two to five hours on your feet, and wet stone pavements are slippery.
• A sweater or fleece, plus a hat, scarf and gloves for mornings, evenings and the river. With about 6 to 8 nights of air frost in an average February, mornings can be sharp.
• Smart-casual outfits for the theater or an afternoon tea; nobody expects formal winter wear.
• A power bank. Cold drains phone batteries faster, and you'll use maps all day.

Our winter packing list for London goes item by item, with the Met Office figures for November to February side by side.

Our honest verdict: yes, with the usual winter caveats. February is a good month for museums, theater, afternoon tea and walking tours, and a poor one for long picnics and river views. The Met Office figures show it slightly milder, drier and sunnier than January, which makes it the first month of the year when afternoon walks feel reasonable.

Crowds. The two busy spots to plan around are the weekends inside the Chinese New Year window, when Chinatown and the streets near Leicester Square will be busy, and February 15 to 19, when school half-term sends families to the museums. Book those days early, or shift your big-ticket visits to the weeks on either side.

Prices. We can't state a general February discount for hotels or flights without a source, so check your own dates. Tour prices on this page come from Viator and show a from-price per person, so check the date you want. Compare hotel areas and what to expect in our where to stay in London guide.

Daylight. Days are still short, so schedule outdoor sights for the middle of the day and keep museums, theaters and tea for the dark afternoon and evening.

Planning a longer winter trip? Read how London in January compares, with the sales and what's open after New Year's Day.