Best time to visit Cambridge
The best time to visit Cambridge is May–September, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Cambridge, England, United Kingdom
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7.3 °C / 45 °F | 2.3 °C / 36 °F | 50 mm / 2 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 8.3 °C / 47 °F | 2.7 °C / 37 °F | 45 mm / 1.8 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 10.7 °C / 51 °F | 3.6 °C / 38 °F | 45 mm / 1.8 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 13.9 °C / 57 °F | 5.3 °C / 42 °F | 37 mm / 1.5 in | good month |
| May | 16.9 °C / 62 °F | 8.6 °C / 47 °F | 60 mm / 2.4 in | best month |
| June | 20.1 °C / 68 °F | 11.6 °C / 53 °F | 58 mm / 2.3 in | best month |
| July | 22.5 °C / 73 °F | 13.7 °C / 57 °F | 67 mm / 2.7 in | best month |
| August | 21.8 °C / 71 °F | 13.5 °C / 56 °F | 61 mm / 2.4 in | best month |
| September | 19.4 °C / 67 °F | 11.3 °C / 52 °F | 48 mm / 1.9 in | best month |
| October | 15.2 °C / 59 °F | 8.7 °C / 48 °F | 61 mm / 2.4 in | good month |
| November | 10.6 °C / 51 °F | 5.3 °C / 42 °F | 58 mm / 2.3 in | neither best nor good |
| December | 8.2 °C / 47 °F | 3.5 °C / 38 °F | 57 mm / 2.2 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: good
- MMay: best
- JJune: best
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: best
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: good
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- May–September
- Good
- April, October
Cambridge is best for outdoor exploring from May to September, warm and sunny with manageable rain; April and October are good shoulder months, while November through March is cold, damp and dull and best avoided for a walking-heavy trip.
Why these months
April · good
In its favour: precipitation 37 mm / 1.5 in, share of daylight that is sunny 70%, days with heavy rain 0.6 days, average daily low 5.3 °C / 42 °F, relative humidity 74%.
Against: average daily high 13.9 °C / 57 °F, wet days 9.3 days, feels like (high) 10.6 °C / 51 °F.
Also on: Easter Sunday, Museum of Technology steaming days, St George's Day, University Library major exhibition (Jan–Jun).
Watch out for: Easter Monday bank holiday travel rush, Good Friday bank holiday travel rush.
May · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 14.6 °C / 58 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 65%, average daily high 16.9 °C / 62 °F, days with heavy rain 1.4 days, average daily low 8.6 °C / 47 °F, relative humidity 74%.
Against: wet days 11 days, precipitation 60 mm / 2.4 in.
Also on: Cambridge Beer Festival, May Day, Museum of Technology steaming days, University Library major exhibition (Jan–Jun).
Watch out for: College exam-period closures, Early May bank holiday travel rush, Spring bank holiday travel rush.
June · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 18.7 °C / 66 °F, average daily high 20.1 °C / 68 °F, precipitation 58 mm / 2.3 in, share of daylight that is sunny 65%, days with heavy rain 1.6 days, average daily low 11.6 °C / 53 °F, relative humidity 74%.
Against: wet days 9.9 days.
Also on: Botanic Garden summer lawn concerts, May Bumps (college rowing races), Midsummer Fair, Six Bells beer festival and musical events, Strawberry Fair, University Library major exhibition (Jan–Jun).
Watch out for: College exam-period closures.
July · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 21.3 °C / 70 °F, average daily high 22.5 °C / 73 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 67%, days with heavy rain 1.8 days, average daily low 13.7 °C / 57 °F, relative humidity 71%.
Against: wet days 12.4 days, precipitation 67 mm / 2.7 in.
Also on: Botanic Garden summer lawn concerts, Cambridge Film Festival, Cambridge Folk Festival, Cambridge Shakespeare Festival, Six Bells beer festival and musical events, Town bumps (local rowing clubs).
August · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 20.2 °C / 68 °F, average daily high 21.8 °C / 71 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 65%, days with heavy rain 1.6 days, average daily low 13.5 °C / 56 °F, relative humidity 73%.
Against: wet days 11.2 days, precipitation 61 mm / 2.4 in.
Also on: Botanic Garden summer lawn concerts, Cambridge Shakespeare Festival, Museum of Technology steaming days, Six Bells beer festival and musical events.
Watch out for: Summer bank holiday travel rush.
September · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 17.4 °C / 63 °F, average daily high 19.4 °C / 67 °F, precipitation 48 mm / 1.9 in, share of daylight that is sunny 62%, days with heavy rain 1.2 days, wet days 9.1 days, average daily low 11.3 °C / 52 °F.
Against: relative humidity 78%.
Also on: University Library major exhibition (Sep–Dec).
October · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 54%, feels like (high) 12.7 °C / 55 °F, average daily high 15.2 °C / 59 °F, days with heavy rain 1.6 days, average daily low 8.7 °C / 48 °F.
Against: relative humidity 84%, wet days 11.4 days, precipitation 61 mm / 2.4 in, sunshine per day 5.7 h.
Also on: Festival of Ideas, Halloween, University Library major exhibition (Sep–Dec).
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Glenshee Ski Center, 566 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | 3.4 °C | 4.2 °C | 6.6 °C | 10.6 °C | 14.6 °C | 18.7 °C | 21.3 °C | 20.2 °C | 17.4 °C | 12.7 °C | 7.4 °C | 4.4 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 0.8 days | 0.5 days | 0.8 days | 0.6 days | 1.4 days | 1.6 days | 1.8 days | 1.6 days | 1.2 days | 1.6 days | 1.2 days | 1 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 2 pm | 3 pm | 4 pm | 5 pm | 4 pm | 5 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 5 pm | 8 am | 8 am | 8 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 4 h | 5.1 h | 7.1 h | 9.7 h | 10.3 h | 10.8 h | 10.8 h | 9.5 h | 7.8 h | 5.7 h | 4.4 h | 3.4 h |
| Relative humidity | 86% | 83% | 78% | 74% | 74% | 74% | 71% | 73% | 78% | 84% | 87% | 88% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 6.4 µg/m³ | 6.5 µg/m³ | 8.3 µg/m³ | 7.8 µg/m³ | 8.3 µg/m³ | 8.4 µg/m³ | 7.9 µg/m³ | 7.8 µg/m³ | 8 µg/m³ | 6.4 µg/m³ | 5.8 µg/m³ | 5.4 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 10.4 µg/m³ | 10.4 µg/m³ | 13.3 µg/m³ | 12.1 µg/m³ | 12.9 µg/m³ | 13.6 µg/m³ | 13 µg/m³ | 11.9 µg/m³ | 12.4 µg/m³ | 9.8 µg/m³ | 9.1 µg/m³ | 8.4 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Reasons to go
- Museum of Technology steaming days
January, March, April, May, August and December, dates vary from year to year
- University Library major exhibition (Jan–Jun)
January, February, March, April, May and June
- New Year
31 December–1 January
- Valentine's Day
14 February
- Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day)
February, dates vary from year to year
- Cambridge Science Festival
March
- Easter Sunday
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- St George's Day
23 April
- Cambridge Beer Festival
May
- May Day
1–7 May, dates vary from year to year
- Midsummer Fair
10–20 June
- Strawberry Fair
1–7 June
- May Bumps (college rowing races)
June
- Botanic Garden summer lawn concerts
June, July and August
- Six Bells beer festival and musical events
June, July and August
- Cambridge Film Festival
July
- Cambridge Folk Festival
22–31 July
- Cambridge Shakespeare Festival
July and August
- Town bumps (local rowing clubs)
22–28 July
- University Library major exhibition (Sep–Dec)
September, October, November and December
- Festival of Ideas
October and November
- Halloween
31 October
- Bonfire Night
5 November
- Remembrance Day
11 November
- Christmas Day
25 December
- Boxing Day
26 December
Worth knowing before you go
- Christmas/New Year closures and travel crush
20 December–1 January
- Good Friday bank holiday travel rush
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- Easter Monday bank holiday travel rush
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- College exam-period closures
24 May–7 June
- Early May bank holiday travel rush
1–7 May, dates vary from year to year
- Spring bank holiday travel rush
25–31 May, dates vary from year to year
- Summer bank holiday travel rush
25–31 August, dates vary from year to year
- Boxing Day sales crowds
26 December