ElizabethBrown

I have recently found travel deals in and around London for this Fall. I am interested in going in late November. I am curious as to the weather though. I have heard that in the winter London can be down right miserable. I am sure this is true however, I have only visited the Uk in the summer. Would this be a huge mistake to take the bargain flights? Or would I be pleased with my bargain find??

P.S. I live in North Carolina, so I am not easily able to take harsh winters.

Thanks!

kaudrey

It shouldn't be that harsh in November, but I guess it's all relative. I was there in January, and although it was cold, we had some nice sunny days and when it rained, we spent time in museums and pubs and other indoor places.

It will be great for the places that tourists visit because there will be a lot fewer people, so there won't be any lines.

I'd say GO FOR IT!

Karen

StCirq

We went to London over Veteran's Day for a long weekend a few years ago. It was absolutely freezing cold, windy, gray, spitting rain, miserable. We loved it.

mclaurie

You should definitely go. IMO, Americans have a misconception about the severity of English weather. It's wet & damp but typically not brutally cold. Layers work well.

The only thing you will miss are the gardens, but it's a smsll price you pay for less crowds. Enjoy your bargain!

janis

It will likely be warmer than in the NE USA at the same time. The UK has a very temperate climate - never too cold and never too hot (well seldom anyway since the last 2 weeks have seen record high temps)

Some folks in the states think London is cold, wet, foggy all year round. There is less fog than in California, less cold than in many parts of the USA, less rain than in the Pacific NW, less snow than the east coast.

So go for it - there are no guarantees - you could have 40's F or up into the 60's F. But whatever weather you have, London is wonderful in the Fall. Just dress in Layers and you will be fine.

whistler162

In 2001 I visited England from the tail end of October to the 2nd week in November. The first 3 days I visited Portsmouth and the rest was spent in London. The weather other than a few sporatic showers during the night and a light rain on my last day in England was excellent. high 40's to low 50's, sun or just overcast.

Standard your mileage will vary disclaimer.

Have fun.

joann222

My husband and I spent the Thanksgiving holiday in London in 2001 and will be doing the same this year. We had great weather - one day was absolutely sunny, clear and just a bit brisk, we did have a little rain on other days, but all in all the weather was fine. We live in Connecticut and know of harsh winters, this was not anywhere near that. We were there last August and it was hot, humid and rained on and off for 5 days....my vote is November. Also, the Christmas decorations were up and everything was beautiful. We too are taking advantage of bargain flights ($198.00 rt/pp on Virgin-Atlantic). Hope this helps.

travelagent

I lived in England for five years and anyone who says it is never brutally cold did not live there in October when it was 7 degrees at night. Farenheit!

England in Nov will be like NC- you don't know if it is going to be brutally cold or mild. It should definitely be around 50 degrees at night, though. So layer up.

The thing that drove me crazy was it would rain but it was to much to go without an umbrella but not enough to need one... misty the whole time.

The best specials are going to be Jan-March, but it will REALLY be cold then. (I will be going in March because I am cheap!)

ElizabethBrown

Thank you for all of you helpful opinions! We got a great flight rate and a great hotel room rate! I am very excited about reuniting with this great old city!

HeatherH

To travelagent: We will be going in March too! Will be in London March 12-23. Gee, do you think I should take my cutoffs and tube top?

Gothampc

Buy the ticket!! I've gone to London over several Thanksgiving weekends and I've always had a good time. Just make sure you bring a warm sweater to wear under your coat as the wind off the Thames can get cold. Bring a good umbrella and sturdy shoes. There are plenty of wonderful museums and stores where you can spend the majority of your time out of the weather.

jsmith

You can gather all the anecdotal opinions or get the facts. Here they are for London.

London for November
AVG High 51
AVG Low 40
Warmest 65
Coldest 20
AVG Dew Point 41
AVG Precipitation 1.8 inches

If you go to this website you can compare to your home in NC.

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/reso...te/wstcli2.htm

BAK

London weather is a lot like Seattle's, especially in November. Which means that you can get your London clothes at an Eddie Bauer store before you go.

Layers, no denim, waterproof shoes. I stayed in a cheap hotel and almost froze at night but was too cold to get up and go look formore blankets,so stay somewhere good.

And go, for sure.

BAK

jsmith

BAK, the average temps for London and Seattle are comparable but the average rainfall of 5.9 inches in Seattle is 4 inches more than in London.

travelagent, the coldest recorded temperature in London was 12 never 7.

I feel like Joe Friday, just the facts, mam.

Degas

To a southern boy, 7 or 12 doesn't much matter - its just miserable that low. Thank goodness that is the extreme range.

flanneruk

This is an issue where facts confuse, for three reasons.
1. "Average" temperatures in London - or anywhere else in Europe's Drizzle Belt - aren't terribly helpful, as weather is exceptionally unpredictable. I, for example, usually stay in shirt sleeves in November, and some cafes still have outdoor tables. But it can get very cold, sometimes. Just be prepared.
2. Most visitors find that our cold's colder, and our hot's hotter, than they're used to. Damp drizzly days in the 40's F can feel a lot colder than proper, sub-freezing, temperatures in dry climates. And many badly-built 19th century buildings - especially cheap hotels or badly-maintained apartments- can be really damp, and unbelievably cold. The converse applies in a (still rare) hot summer.
3. But you're not coming here to sunbathe, so why does it matter? Few sights require much exposure to the elements, and the walk from the tube to a theatre or restaurant can't be long enough for more than a decent raincoat. If you plan on outdoor activity - well, a day at the races or a country hike in horizontal rain can be an acquired taste, but one that has its own rewards if you wrap up properly.

No weather is miserable. Human beings are miserable. Grown-up human beings decide for themselves whether to be miseable or not. Only slaves let something as trivial as the weather dictate their moods.

jsmith

Flanneruk, facts may confuse but certainly less so than the experiences of a short term visitor. Europe's drizzle belt doesn't have a patent on unpredictability.

I live in central Massachusetts where the temperature extremes for March have been 84 to -6 and avg high 42, low 25.
A visitor would certainly have a distorted view if he hit one of those extremes.

SaraLM

I don't know where you are from but this may also affect you. We went to England at the end of August/beginning of Sept. In Oregon at that time of year it is fairly hot and our blood was thin. We got to England and though it wasn't terribly cold it seemed much cooler to us because we were used to much warmer weather. November wouldn't cause such a difference because most places in the US are cooler in Nov but you may take an extra layer if your blood might still be a little thin. After a week and a half we were doing much better and by the time we left just fine, even though the weather hadn't really change over there.

outtatown

I'm a Seattlite, originally from Texas, who lived in London in 96-97, who is also planning a trip for Thanksgiving week - due to probably the same great bargains you are finding online! I'm extatic. I recall the crisp, brisk London air in the fall, and how less crowded it was, just before the crowds exploded at Christmas time. It is a perfect time for a visit. I hope you have a great time -- I know my husband and I have not stopped smiling since we booked the trip (but are obviously packing warm clothes and an umbrella!)

erinb

Hi Elizabeth,

I want to second something another poster on this thread said.

Travalagent said that london in Nov is like NC. I am from NC and he/she is absolutely right. It has been my experience that, with the exception of the humidity(NC'S is very high), London is just about the same as NC. I always go in Oct or Nov. I am a fall/cold weather person myself and I just love it.

The 2 times I have been to London, it was just as unpredictable as my home state during this period. the 1st year we went, I was under the misconception that it rained all the time. Out of 16 days, we only had 3 or 4 afternoon showers and the rest of the trip was sunny fall cool(around 55-65 degrees F).

The 2nd trip was in November and that was a mixture of and indian summer (75 degree's) and fall/cool (55 degrees).

I always plan for both. The suggestions to take layered clothing outfits will fit the bill. I always take a mix of long/short sleeved shirts and light sweaters. I hate coats, but I always bring my big wool cardigan just in case.

Hope this helps!