Birmingham features a temperate maritime climate with mild summers, cool to cold winters, and rainfall spread throughout the year. The city experiences moderate temperature swings, frequent clouds, and brisk winds, with summer bringing the most pleasant weather for outdoor activities. Seasonal changes bring variable rainfall, daylight, and humidity, making Birmingham a destination of year-round contrasts.
The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.
Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.
Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.
Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.
Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.
Birmingham’s climate is shaped by its inland location in central England, resulting in four distinct seasons and moderate weather year-round. Summers (June–August) are mild and relatively short, with average highs of 19–21°C and lows around 10–12°C. July is the warmest month, but heatwaves are rare and brief. Sunshine averages 5–6 hours per day in summer, and rainfall is moderate, with July and August each seeing around 45–72 mm of rain over 7–14 days. Evenings are cool, and humidity is moderate, making summer comfortable for sightseeing and festivals.
Winters (December–February) are cold, damp, and often cloudy, with average highs of 6–8°C and lows near 1–2°C. Frost and fog are common, and snow falls occasionally, especially in January and February, but usually melts quickly. January is typically the wettest month, with 65–75 mm of rain and up to 18–19 rainy days. Daylight is limited to 7–8 hours, and sunshine is scarce, averaging 1–2 hours per day. Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are transitional, with mild days (11–18°C), cool nights, and variable rainfall. Rain falls throughout the year, but April and May are slightly drier. Birmingham receives about 665–800 mm of precipitation annually and enjoys around 1,400 hours of sunshine per year. Winds are generally moderate (14–17 km/h), but can be brisk during storms, especially in winter and early spring.
| Average climate data for Birmingham, United Kingdom | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average maximum temperature (°C) | 6 | 7 | 9 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 20 |
| Average minimum temperature (°C) | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| Average precipitation (mm) | 17 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 36 | 30 | 32 | 17 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 280 |
| Average rainfall days (days) | 12 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 154 |
| Average snowfall (mm) | 21 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 57 |
| Average snowfall days (days) | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 89 | 85 | 82 | 82 | 79 | 83 | 79 | 79 | 82 | 85 | 90 | 89 | 84 |
| Average wind speed (km/h) | 17 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 15 |
| Average daily daylight hours (h) | 8 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 12 |
| Average daily sunshine hours (h) | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Average cloud coverage (%) | 61 | 62 | 57 | 54 | 56 | 58 | 55 | 58 | 55 | 60 | 65 | 59 | 58 |
| Average UV index | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
The best time to visit Birmingham is from late May to early September, when temperatures are mild (16–21°C), daylight is long, and the city is lively with festivals, outdoor events, and blooming parks. Spring (April–May) and early autumn (September) also offer pleasant weather and fewer crowds, making them ideal for sightseeing and exploring Birmingham’s green spaces.
The least favourable time to visit is from November to February, when Birmingham is coldest, daylight hours are shortest, and rain, fog, and dampness are most frequent. While winter brings festive charm, outdoor exploration can be less comfortable due to chilly, wet, and unpredictable weather.
Birmingham has a temperate maritime climate with mild summers, cool to cold winters, and rainfall spread throughout the year. Frequent clouds and moderate humidity are typical, with variable weather in all seasons.
Summer temperatures in Birmingham typically reach 19–21°C, with occasional brief heatwaves above 25°C. Evenings are cool, and rain is possible at any time, so packing layers is recommended.
Snow is possible in Birmingham, mainly from December to February, but it is usually light and melts quickly. Frost and fog are common in winter, with occasional heavier snowfalls during cold snaps.
Rain falls throughout the year, but January and December are usually the wettest months. Showers are frequent but often brief, so carrying an umbrella is recommended year-round.
Birmingham averages about 1,400 hours of sunshine annually. Summer months have up to 5–6 hours of sunshine per day, while winter months may see only 1–2 hours daily.
Bring layers, a waterproof jacket, and water-resistant shoes. Even in summer, pack a jumper or light jacket for cool evenings. An umbrella is essential for sudden showers in any season.
Winds are generally moderate (14–17 km/h), but can be brisk during storms. Humidity is moderate year-round, making cold days feel chillier and warm spells muggy in summer.
The warmest month, with the highest average maximum temperature, is July (20.4 °C). The month with the lowest average maximum temperature is January (6.1 °C). Overall, the average maximum temperature over the whole year is 13 °C.
The month with the highest average minimum temperature is August (12.2 °C). The coldest month, with the lowest average minimum temperature, is February (1.4 °C). Overall, the average minimum temperature over the whole year is 6.2 °C.
The wettest month, with the highest amount of precipitation, is June (35.6 mm). The driest month, with the least amount of precipitation, is January (17 mm). Over the whole year there are 280 mm of rainfall on average.
The month with the most days of rain is July (17.2 days). The month with the fewest days of rain is February (10.1 days). Over the whole year there are 154.2 days of rain on average.
The month with the most snowfall is January (21 mm). The months with the least snowfall are April, June, July, August, September and October (0 mm). Over the whole year there are 57 mm of snowfall on average.
The month with the most days of snowfall is February (3.9 days). The months with the fewest days of snowfall are April, June, July and August (0 days). Over the whole year there are 11.5 days of snowfall on average.
The month with the highest average relative humidity is November (89.6 %). The month with the lowest average relative humidity is August (78.5 %). The overall average relative humidity over the whole year is 83.7 %.
The windiest month, with the highest average wind speed, is February (18.3 km/h). The calmest month, with the lowest average wind speed, is July (12.8 km/h). The overall average wind speed over the whole year is 15.1 km/h.
The month with the cloudiest skies, so the highest cloud coverage, is November (65 %). The month with the clearest skies, so the lowest cloud coverage, is April (53.8 %). Over the whole year there is an average cloud coverage of 58.3 %.
The month with the longest days, so the most daylight, is June (Average daylight: 16.1 h). The month with the shortest days, so the least daylight, is December (Average daylight: 7.1 h). Over the whole year there are 11.7 h of daylight per day on average.
The month with the most sunshine per day is July (Average sunshine: 7 h). The month with the least sunshine per day is January (Average sunshine: 3 h). Over the whole year there are 5 h of sunlight per day on average.
The months with the highest average UV index are May, June, July and August (UV index: 4). The months with the lowest average UV index are January, February, November and December (UV index: 2). Over the whole year the average UV index is 3.
