Best time to visit Oxford
The best time to visit Oxford is April and June–September, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Oxford, 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 | 7.1 °C / 45 °F | 2.2 °C / 36 °F | 56 mm / 2.2 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 8 °C / 46 °F | 2.7 °C / 37 °F | 50 mm / 2 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 10.3 °C / 51 °F | 3.5 °C / 38 °F | 50 mm / 2 in | good month |
| April | 13.5 °C / 56 °F | 5.2 °C / 41 °F | 42 mm / 1.6 in | best month |
| May | 16.5 °C / 62 °F | 8.3 °C / 47 °F | 63 mm / 2.5 in | good month |
| June | 19.7 °C / 67 °F | 11.3 °C / 52 °F | 58 mm / 2.3 in | best month |
| July | 21.8 °C / 71 °F | 13.3 °C / 56 °F | 65 mm / 2.6 in | best month |
| August | 20.8 °C / 69 °F | 13 °C / 55 °F | 62 mm / 2.4 in | best month |
| September | 18.6 °C / 65 °F | 10.8 °C / 51 °F | 53 mm / 2.1 in | best month |
| October | 14.6 °C / 58 °F | 8.5 °C / 47 °F | 69 mm / 2.7 in | good month |
| November | 10.3 °C / 51 °F | 5.1 °C / 41 °F | 68 mm / 2.7 in | neither best nor good |
| December | 8 °C / 46 °F | 3.5 °C / 38 °F | 61 mm / 2.4 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: good
- AApril: best
- MMay: good
- JJune: best
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: best
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: good
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- April, June–September
- Good
- March, May, October
April and June through September are Oxford's best months for exploring, with March, May and October still good despite cooler, wetter or greyer conditions; damp, dark, humid winters from November to February have little to offer walkers.
Why these months
March · good
In its favour: precipitation 50 mm / 2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 60%, days with heavy rain 0.9 days.
Against: feels like (high) 6.3 °C / 43 °F, wet days 11.1 days, average daily high 10.3 °C / 51 °F, relative humidity 80%, average daily low 3.5 °C / 38 °F.
Also on: Oxford Literary Festival, Shrove Tuesday pancake races.
April · best
In its favour: precipitation 42 mm / 1.6 in, share of daylight that is sunny 69%, days with heavy rain 0.6 days, average daily high 13.5 °C / 56 °F, average daily low 5.2 °C / 41 °F, relative humidity 75%.
Against: wet days 9.6 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 50%, feels like (high) 10.3 °C / 51 °F.
Also on: Oxford Literary Festival, St George's Day.
Watch out for: University term-time cyclist hazard.
May · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 65%, feels like (high) 14.2 °C / 58 °F, average daily high 16.5 °C / 62 °F, average daily low 8.3 °C / 47 °F, relative humidity 75%.
Against: wet days 11 days, days with heavy rain 1.8 days, precipitation 63 mm / 2.5 in, share of rain falling in the daytime 51%.
Also on: May Day, Nesting swifts at the Museum of Natural History.
Watch out for: University term-time college closures, University term-time cyclist hazard.
June · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 18.3 °C / 65 °F, average daily high 19.7 °C / 67 °F, precipitation 58 mm / 2.3 in, share of daylight that is sunny 66%, days with heavy rain 1.4 days, average daily low 11.3 °C / 52 °F, relative humidity 75%.
Against: wet days 10.4 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 44%.
Also on: Nesting swifts at the Museum of Natural History.
Watch out for: University term-time college closures.
July · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 20.6 °C / 69 °F, average daily high 21.8 °C / 71 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 68%, days with heavy rain 1.4 days, average daily low 13.3 °C / 56 °F, relative humidity 73%.
Against: wet days 11.8 days, precipitation 65 mm / 2.6 in, share of rain falling in the daytime 48%.
Also on: Nesting swifts at the Museum of Natural History.
August · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 19.4 °C / 67 °F, average daily high 20.8 °C / 69 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 64%, precipitation 62 mm / 2.4 in, average daily low 13 °C / 55 °F, relative humidity 76%.
Against: wet days 10.7 days, days with heavy rain 1.8 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 49%.
Also on: Nesting swifts at the Museum of Natural History.
September · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 16.8 °C / 62 °F, average daily high 18.6 °C / 65 °F, precipitation 53 mm / 2.1 in, share of daylight that is sunny 61%, days with heavy rain 1.5 days, wet days 9.1 days, average daily low 10.8 °C / 51 °F.
Against: relative humidity 80%, sunshine per day 7.8 h.
October · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 53%, days with heavy rain 1.6 days, average daily high 14.6 °C / 58 °F, average daily low 8.5 °C / 47 °F.
Against: feels like (high) 12.3 °C / 54 °F, relative humidity 86%, wet days 11.3 days, precipitation 69 mm / 2.7 in, sunshine per day 5.7 h.
Also on: Halloween.
Watch out for: University term-time college closures, University term-time cyclist hazard.
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, 586 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) | 3.3 °C | 4 °C | 6.3 °C | 10.3 °C | 14.2 °C | 18.3 °C | 20.6 °C | 19.4 °C | 16.8 °C | 12.3 °C | 7.2 °C | 4.4 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 1.2 days | 0.9 days | 0.9 days | 0.6 days | 1.8 days | 1.4 days | 1.4 days | 1.8 days | 1.5 days | 1.6 days | 1.8 days | 1.4 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 12 pm | 3 pm | 4 pm | 5 pm | 4 pm | 5 pm | 3 pm | 12 pm | 8 pm | 9 am | 8 am | 1 am |
| Sunshine per day | 4 h | 5 h | 7.1 h | 9.5 h | 10.2 h | 11 h | 10.9 h | 9.3 h | 7.8 h | 5.7 h | 4.4 h | 3.5 h |
| Relative humidity | 88% | 84% | 80% | 75% | 75% | 75% | 73% | 76% | 80% | 86% | 88% | 89% |
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 | 6.3 µg/m³ | 6.2 µg/m³ | 8.2 µg/m³ | 8.5 µg/m³ | 8.8 µg/m³ | 8.7 µg/m³ | 7.1 µg/m³ | 7.6 µg/m³ | 7.6 µg/m³ | 6.2 µg/m³ | 5.8 µg/m³ | 5.3 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 10.1 µg/m³ | 10 µg/m³ | 13.5 µg/m³ | 13.7 µg/m³ | 13.6 µg/m³ | 13.6 µg/m³ | 12 µg/m³ | 11.4 µg/m³ | 11.5 µg/m³ | 9.5 µg/m³ | 8.9 µg/m³ | 8.3 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
- New Year's Eve and New Year's Day celebrations
31 December–1 January
- Valentine's Day
14 February
- Shrove Tuesday pancake races
February and March, dates vary from year to year
- Oxford Literary Festival
March and April
- St George's Day
23 April
- Nesting swifts at the Museum of Natural History
May, June, July and August
- May Day
1 May
- Halloween
31 October
- Remembrance / Armistice Day
11 November
- Bonfire Night / Guy Fawkes Night
5 November
- Christmas markets
November and December
Worth knowing before you go
- University term-time college closures
January, February, May, June, October and November
- University term-time cyclist hazard
January, February, April, May, October and November
- Christmas Day and New Year's Day retail closures
January and December
- Pre-Christmas travel rush
18–24 December
- Boxing Day sales
26 December
World Heritage sites nearby
UNESCO World Heritage sites within 25 km, nearest first.
- Blenheim Palace
12 km away