We will be in England and France in early September. According to the book, the temperature will be between 50 and 68. We plan to dress in layers but will a light water repellent jacket be enough? Would a little heavier jacket be better? Would knee high boots be ok or is it too early for boots? Any suggestions for weather appropriate clothing would be appreciated.
Posted by
Santa Rosa, CA, USA
1446 posts
We have traveled to England several times in September and all I can say is that every time we were there that time of year it's been warm and sunny - no rain at all. We had on light rain jackets just in case and could have layered but didn't need to.
Posted by
Oxford, United Kingdom
5330 posts
Whereabouts in England are you going?
I rarely put on any heating in the house for the whole of the month.
Is 10C a daytime or night time temperature?
You could experience temperatures well into the twenties.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32805 posts
Often, where I live, September is drier than August but maybe not quite so warm.
Posted by
St. Louis, MO USA
1976 posts
Hello, neighbor! :) Do you tend to get cold or warm more easily? Will you be out walking everywhere (exposed to the elements all the time) or will you have a car (access to heat and a dry place)?
Watch the weather in the areas where you'll be, for a week or so before you get there. I was in London 2 years ago in September when England had one of the wettest falls on record. Parts of the country were flooded and it rained every day in London, sometimes a steady downpour for hours, sometimes scattered rain on and off all day. An umbrella did me almost no good because London is a windy city, which I didn't know before I got there. I should have brought more long-sleeved layers and my complete 3-in-1 L.L. Bean Stormchaser jacket, instead of just the shell. And rain boots, which I don't even own!
Posted by
Medford, OR, USA
5836 posts
England's a big place and climate influenced by many factors. The UK Met Office's climate records are a good start with the realization that averages are only a mean. http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/climate
For example, looking at Ullswater (eastern edge of the Lake District), September's avg high is 16.7C and avg low is 9.0C, relatively comfortable ON AVERAGE. But Sept gets 126.6 mm of precipitation and more than 1 mm 13.9 days out of 30 ON AVERAGE. The take away is prepare for a moderate range of conditions in the Lake District, have layers, and expect rain. It could be hiking shorts but it could be rain pants during a September fell walk.
As mentioned, layers are apprpriate using judgement as to are you a city tourist or are you walking in the countryside. A light insulating layer, sweater or light fleece combined with a water repellent breathable membrane shell jacket gives you a lot of weather flexibility. Rain pants if you're walking across fells or moors, but not needed is you are touring London. I'd skip the knee high boots unless you're planning walks across the moors.