London has a temperate climate, with regular but generally
light precipitation throughout the year. Summer temperatures rarely rise
much above 33 °C (91.4 °F), though higher temperatures have become more
common recently. The highest temperature ever recorded in London was 38.1 °C
(100.6 °F), measured at Kew Gardens during the European Heat Wave of 2003.
Heavy snowfalls are almost unknown. In recent winters, snow has generally
only settled once or twice and it is rarely more than an inch (25 mm) or so.
London, as a temperate city, will generally receive less precipitation on an
annual basis than a sub-tropical city such as Sydney or Rome. This is
despite the fact that sub-tropical regions usually receive fewer rainy or
overcast days. London's large built-up area creates a microclimate (an
"urban heat island"), with heat stored by the city's buildings. Sometimes
temperatures are 5 °C (9 °F) warmer in the city than in the surrounding
areas.
Chiswick,
Middlesex, London, Greater London, England
