London in Winter?

[treberty]

I have stopped over Heathrow numerous times, but for some reason I never ended up going to the City.

Now I really feel like going to London, but it would have to be next Winter.... 

So is the weather in Jan-Feb ok for discovering the city? I oviously did some research and I mind cold climates, but would it be worth it to wait and go in May for instance?   

I would only spend 4-5 days and lots of time in cigar rooms and whisky tasting...

 

Thanks in advance!

[PapaDisco]

I've spent winter weeks in London for business over the years.  Would regularly walk to the office cutting diagonally across Hyde Park, so a fair bit of a walk.  It's downright nippy, you'll be glad for a long wool overcoat and gloves.  I've had it snow on me but never rain.  You could certainly see the City just fine, but a freezing rain would be a distinct possibility and rather miserable I guess.  I've never experience rain in London, strange as that may seem, so this is just a guess on my end.  I've gotten snow flurries in winter, but nothing else.

Don't know about May.  I've only been there in the depths of winter and then in August (beautiful weather in August in London btw).

[CaptainQuintero]

Winter is essentially very mild in the UK untilo you get into Scotland or up peaks in the national parks, London is especially mild. I'm in the north of the country most of the time and shorts don't get put away until October

Jan Feb should be fine with a fleece/warm coat, bring a pair of gloves in case you get a cold snap.

[CaptainQuintero]

Just thought that it's probably going to depend on what you're used to. If you're coming from Canada then it's going to be nothing anywhere near as cold as you're used to. Might get a bit drizzly and chilly but nothing daft

[gweilgi]

43 minutes ago, PapaDisco said:

I've spent winter weeks in London for business over the years.  Would regularly walk to the office cutting diagonally across Hyde Park, so a fair bit of a walk.  It's downright nippy, you'll be glad for a long wool overcoat and gloves.  I've had it snow on me but never rain.  You could certainly see the City just fine, but a freezing rain would be a distinct possibility and rather miserable I guess.  I've never experience rain in London, strange as that may seem, so this is just a guess on my end.  I've gotten snow flurries in winter, but nothing else.

Don't know about May.  I've only been there in the depths of winter and then in August (beautiful weather in August in London btw).

London gets less annual rainfall than Dallas TX, so its not all that strange...

That said, I have spent the last 23 winters there, and its miserable.  The temperatures may not drop that low -- certainly not compared to the icy hell known to the rest of the world as Canada -- but it is windy and wet.  This is an evil combination which does make it feel rather colder than the temperatures may suggest.  The wet just seeps through everything and right into your bones.  On top of that, we do get a flurry of snow once or twice during winter, which invariably causes utter mayhem: most cars (including all emergency service vehicles) do not have winter tyres, people are about as expert in driving on snow as your average Texan, and rail travel will be massively disrupted because of the wrong kind of snow on the tracks (no joke, that).  

On the upside, there is a lovely large winter fair in Hyde Park, and all the shops are in full pre-Xmas sale mode so bargains may be had.  

On the third hand, despite patio heaters and blankets, smoking cigars on the outdoor terrace smoking areas is strictly for the diehard aficionado during that season....

 

 

[shlomo]

You're from the 514.

Man up!

[LordAnubis]

Being Australian, the cold weather is quite novel for me. An interesting experience, and it's always cold in England anyway (I say from my current location where it never ever drops below 22 degrees C).

If you're in for smoking though, yes the smoking "terraces" are "outdoor" and its cold as shit. If you like smoking with jackets on and beanies and gloves then you'll be fine. Otherwise you'll have to find a lounge. Thing to note, all indoor lounges you can only smoke what you buy there. You can not bring your own. It is the law. The terraces which are "outdoor" (they generally have some unsealed roof or something similar to show open to air) do have heaters but its still cold. For me anyway. Some have better heating than others.

[PapaDisco]

Another thought, the Thames River tours will be no fun at all, and an afternoon in Greenwich (with the old Naval War College) is off the list as well in winter.

[treberty]

Thanks for the input - appreciated.  I don't enjoy Paris in the Winter (mostly because of that humid cold that gets to your bones) but it's mostly because I have been so many times in Spring-early Fall months... Since I have never been to London I guess that I'll think it's awesome to go even  in the dead of Winter.  I'll man up (but will bring a pair of gloves).

So it should be a fun short trip - looking forward to it!