stut

Exactly. I'm 6'1", buy milk by the pint and fruit juice by the litre, ride a 28" bike with 700mm wheels well under the 30mph limit, despite the temperature being well under 10C. I never know which measurement to use...

HIDDY

Looking up my World Weather book the statistics for London in March are.

Average hours of sun per day 4
Average daily temp. Min 3c Max 10c
Highest recorded temp 21c
Lowest recorded temp. -8c
Average monthly precipitation 37mm
Average wet days to expect 11

In other words....bloody awful.Come to Buenos Aires instead. ^

Macspreader

Or easier to remember, 16 = 61, 28=82.

o0herbie

While we are comparing numbers, -40oF is -40oC ^

(not much use in London!)

Christopher

Someone once said that London has no climate, just lots of weather.

As noted above, the weather could do anything and probably will: sunshine, clouds, drizzle, rain. Snow is also a possibility in March (in fact, statistically it's probably more common in March in recent years than it is earlier in the season). The temperatures are much less likely to be extreme: extremes do happen, of course, but they are rare.

Bring a waterproof coat and a fold-up umbrella. Something for warmth will be needed (not an overcoat; probably a jumper). Even if it's cool and wet and dreary outside, inside and on trains and tubes it's likely to be warm (indeed, stuffy on the tube). March is generally considered a spring month in the UK (unlike in the US, where the first day of spring is reckoned to be the vernal equinox around 21—22 March), but the weather may or may not be springlike.

But don't overpack: the weather is unlikely to be extreme.

Aviatrix

If you want London weather data for the last 13 years you will find it here:

http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/03772.html

Go to "History and Almanac" near the bottom left-hand corner

adagio

I am in London almost every March (arriving March 7 this year) and, though it may sound strange, the humidity sneaks up on you. And, I am from Houston where we are used to humidity, but with the heat. London is cool and humid---layers make sense you can shed them as you see fit and get more ventilation!

colletteflys

If you were going to choose a month to visit London, which month would it be?

Christopher

I presume that you're talking in relation to the weather. But because of the vagaries of the London weather, it's almost impossible to answer. If I had to give a time of year, with a gun to my head, I'd probably opt for early autumn (September or the first half of October). But, really, there can be good and bad weather at any time of year. You just have to take your chances.

I ought to add, though, that I think that the tales of London's awful weather are somewhat exaggerated. It's uncertain, and it can be grey, but there are lots of places in the world where the weather, taken as a whole, is far worse, I should say.

smat

I live in San Francisco and travel to London 2-3 times a year.....I find the weather very similar to San Francisco.....cool, damp, some sun, some clouds. I generally bring the same clothes I wear here at home, except in deep winter where I throw in a scarf and gloves. Rain jacket and umbrella are needed pretty much all year round......

Enjoy London.....I'll be there next week!

o0herbie

My favourite time would be late May - you can get some cracking weather, without the rampant humidity that appears later in summer. A bank holiday weekend to boot.

Oh - and it's my birthday of course.

adagio

I have had generally good luck with September - October and April, particularly later, into May. So many flowers in the parks in May! I agree that London is alot like San Francisco---in many ways. Many neighborhoods with lots of people walking about, few high-rise buildings (outside of downtown), lots of different ethnic groups/restaurants/stores. Both great cities.

Swanhunter

May and September offer good weather chances, but more importantly far fewer tourists ambling around like lost sheep.

mattk

Please bring/buy a lightweight rain coat otherwise I'm afraid that you will end up on one of those city tours with a complementary see-through plastic raincoat. You'll have tourist written all over you and there's nothing more depressing for me than seeing a whole family stuck in the rain looking ridiculous!

Also be prepared for a lot of walking around. It's the best way to see London. Get the small pocket A-Z that covers the centre and walk between anything from the West End (say Bond Street/Oxford Circus) back to Covent Garden, including Whitehall (Houses of Parliament), Trafalger Square. If you fancy doing Buckingham Palace then a walk up The Mall (1mile at least from Trafalger Sq) is worth doing if the weather's good. If the weather's bad then take a taxi for about 5-7GBP each way, don't Tube it as there's no station close to the Palace and you'll end up walking as much as if you'd started off walking in the first place.

Walking around will mean you'll make sure that you see a heck of a lot more than you would if you take the Tube. If you do fancy the Tube then be warned that when reading Tube maps the distances between stations are not real, nor are the relative locations. It's smaller than it appears, the map is there for clarity not accuracy.

If you fancy going further west like Knightsbridge then do take the Tube, same goes for going east to places like London Bridge. Good luck and enjoy yourselves it's a fantastic city for walking around and exploring, great architecture and shopping.

lori in az

Oh, I am much further south...just close to the border of Mexico. It's been hot lately.