Traveling Europe November-Febuary
 

Hello!

I'm going with some friends to Europe this November and staying/traveling through February. We've been to Ireland before in August, but that's it, so it's all pretty new to us.

We'll be traveling all over Europe, but I was wondering if anyone could help me with an idea of what the weather is going to be like that time of year in England? Also, which month would be best spent in England? We were hoping to be in England, if possible, during a month that it wasn't completely covered in snow (for at least part on the month).

Thanks for the help ahead of time!

Xx- Talitha

Snow is possible any time in those months -- but it is also possible your wouldn't see any at all. November would have the least chance - but the UK is much milder than say the NE or Midwest USA.

Most of the UK doesn't get much, if any, snow, and (certainly in towns and cities) it doesn't stay for long. Your bigger problem is VERY short daylight hours. Snow is more likely in continental northern, central and eastern Europe (but then again, Spain was struck by heavy snow in early February this year).

Keep in mind that the Brits were the ones who invented the rubberized raincoat. There's a reason for that, and if you're there during the winter months, you'll discover what that reason is.

I went to university in London. From October to April you will encounter much rain, and that will be the case with most of the rest of Europe too. It seldom snows much in England, but that doesn't mean it doesn't snow at all. The daytime highs are in the 40's F, usually, but for some reason that temperature felt colder to me over there than it did in the States.

Snow will be the least of your concerns. Your biggest challenge will be to stave off the ennui that results from day after day of gray skies and wet feet. The best treatment for this is a warm pub with a good view of glistening cobblestone streets. Many Brits treat the affliction by going to the Caribbean.

Plan on spending time indoors, but I'm sure you have a lot of museums on your schedule. My personal suggestion? Find a cheap hotel in downtown London and curl up for a week with a good piece of classic British literature, going out from time to time to savor the city.

No matter where you are, the weather will be dark, cold, and soggy in November and December, and darker, colder, and either soggier or frozen in January and February. November might be the best month of those three to visit anywhere, unless it's the Alps for skiing.

If it were me, I'd hit GB in the beginning, go to the Alps for skiing and/or winter fun, then head to the south of Italy or Spain to thaw out. Good luck and have a great trip.

I wouldn't ski in the Alps in November, generally little snow and you end up on glaciers with limited everything. You'll do better into December.

It really does not rain that much in the UK (I say that as a Brit) while London has some of the lowest rainfalls in the country. November average rainfall is 63mm with some rain for 2/3rds of the days. But that does not mean it rains every day. The BBC carries very detailed rainfall forecasts these days with good accuracy. I go for a walk everyday through this winter and never walked in the rain.

All you do is have a plan A and a plan B for everyday(for 5 days out), plan B is for a wet day, then you mix and blend the plans as the forecast comes through.

Sitting in a hotel or a pub is not a plan :-)

The days are short and it is dark but remember the Brits have to put up with 5 months of this nonsense, you only get a week or so. :-)

I agree that 40F in England feels colder than 40F where I live in WA. You'd think the climates would be the same - both are very damp - but I'm always chillier there. I always thought it was because we stayed with family and they don't heat during the day (in fact, they open a window or two!). At night everything gets buttoned down and the heat goes on, but during the day you have to have extra layers or keep moving. But no, even when we stayed in London, with a heated apartment, it still felt colder...

When we travel to England in winter I always have Gore-tex, a lightweight fleece jacket, a sweater, some lightweight silk underwear (I wear a camisole and long shorts - more than that and I'm uncomfortable when we go to a pub), and definitely warm socks and shoes and gloves and a hat.

Even small cities decorate shopping areas enthusiastically for Christmas, so it can be fun to be out at night, enjoying the lights. But the days are definitely short, and many places have limited hours during the winter, so you have to plan your daytime activity accordingly.

Hope that helps, and have fun!