Best time to visit Sheffield
The best time to visit Sheffield is May–August, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Sheffield, 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 | 6.3 °C / 43 °F | 1.9 °C / 35 °F | 69 mm / 2.7 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 7.1 °C / 45 °F | 2.1 °C / 36 °F | 60 mm / 2.4 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 9.2 °C / 49 °F | 2.8 °C / 37 °F | 63 mm / 2.5 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 12.2 °C / 54 °F | 4.4 °C / 40 °F | 50 mm / 2 in | good month |
| May | 15.3 °C / 60 °F | 7.4 °C / 45 °F | 70 mm / 2.7 in | best month |
| June | 18.2 °C / 65 °F | 10.3 °C / 51 °F | 79 mm / 3.1 in | best month |
| July | 20 °C / 68 °F | 12.3 °C / 54 °F | 88 mm / 3.5 in | best month |
| August | 19.2 °C / 67 °F | 12.2 °C / 54 °F | 79 mm / 3.1 in | best month |
| September | 17.1 °C / 63 °F | 10.2 °C / 50 °F | 65 mm / 2.6 in | good month |
| October | 13.4 °C / 56 °F | 7.8 °C / 46 °F | 71 mm / 2.8 in | neither best nor good |
| November | 9.2 °C / 49 °F | 4.5 °C / 40 °F | 71 mm / 2.8 in | neither best nor good |
| December | 7 °C / 45 °F | 2.9 °C / 37 °F | 76 mm / 3 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: good
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- May–August
- Good
- April, September
Late spring through summer (May-August) offers Sheffield's mildest, sunniest weather for exploring on foot; the rest of the year is cold, damp and dull, with drizzle inflating wet-day counts even in the better months.
Why these months
April · good
In its favour: precipitation 50 mm / 2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 70%, days with heavy rain 0.7 days, average daily low 4.4 °C / 40 °F.
Against: feels like (high) 8.7 °C / 48 °F, wet days 10.9 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 51%, average daily high 12.2 °C / 54 °F, relative humidity 77%.
Also on: Easter celebrations, St. George's Day.
Watch out for: Easter bank holiday travel rush.
May · best
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 67%, precipitation 70 mm / 2.7 in, feels like (high) 12.6 °C / 55 °F, average daily high 15.3 °C / 60 °F, days with heavy rain 1.8 days, average daily low 7.4 °C / 45 °F, relative humidity 77%.
Against: wet days 12.4 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 51%.
Also on: May Day festivities, Sheffield Food Festival.
Watch out for: May bank holidays travel rush.
June · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 16.5 °C / 62 °F, average daily high 18.2 °C / 65 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 65%, precipitation 79 mm / 3.1 in, average daily low 10.3 °C / 51 °F.
Against: wet days 13.2 days, days with heavy rain 2.4 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 46%, relative humidity 77%.
July · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 18.7 °C / 66 °F, average daily high 20 °C / 68 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 67%, average daily low 12.3 °C / 54 °F.
Against: wet days 14.4 days, precipitation 88 mm / 3.5 in, days with heavy rain 2.6 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 48%, relative humidity 77%.
August · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 17.5 °C / 64 °F, average daily high 19.2 °C / 67 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 67%, precipitation 79 mm / 3.1 in, days with heavy rain 1.8 days, average daily low 12.2 °C / 54 °F.
Against: wet days 13.7 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 48%, relative humidity 79%.
Watch out for: Summer Bank Holiday travel rush.
September · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 15.1 °C / 59 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 62%, precipitation 65 mm / 2.6 in, average daily high 17.1 °C / 63 °F, days with heavy rain 1.4 days, average daily low 10.2 °C / 50 °F.
Against: relative humidity 83%, wet days 11.1 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 49%.
Hiking and trekking
Cool enough to climb in, dry enough to enjoy, long enough days.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: good
- AApril: best
- MMay: best
- JJune: best
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: best
- SSeptember: good
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- April–August
- Good
- March, September
March through September gives cool-enough, reasonably dry conditions with long daylight for hiking, best from April to August; October through February is cold, short on daylight and consistently wet.
Why these months
March · good
In its favour: precipitation 63 mm / 2.5 in, average daily high 9.2 °C / 49 °F, days with heavy rain 1.4 days, share of daylight that is sunny 63%, daylight per day 11.9 h, average daily low 2.8 °C / 37 °F, wind (daily max) 23 km/h / 14 mph.
Against: wet days 12.1 days, feels like (high) 5.1 °C / 41 °F, relative humidity 81%.
Also on: Easter celebrations.
Watch out for: Easter bank holiday travel rush.
April · best
In its favour: average daily high 12.2 °C / 54 °F, precipitation 50 mm / 2 in, days with heavy rain 0.7 days, average daily low 4.4 °C / 40 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 70%, daylight per day 14 h, wind (daily max) 21 km/h / 13 mph.
Against: wet days 10.9 days, feels like (high) 8.7 °C / 48 °F, share of rain falling in the daytime 51%.
Also on: Easter celebrations, St. George's Day.
Watch out for: Easter bank holiday travel rush.
May · best
In its favour: average daily high 15.3 °C / 60 °F, precipitation 70 mm / 2.7 in, days with heavy rain 1.8 days, feels like (high) 12.6 °C / 55 °F, average daily low 7.4 °C / 45 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 67%, daylight per day 15.9 h, wind (daily max) 21 km/h / 13 mph.
Against: wet days 12.4 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 51%.
Also on: May Day festivities, Sheffield Food Festival.
Watch out for: May bank holidays travel rush.
June · best
In its favour: average daily high 18.2 °C / 65 °F, precipitation 79 mm / 3.1 in, feels like (high) 16.5 °C / 62 °F, average daily low 10.3 °C / 51 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 65%, daylight per day 16.9 h, wind (daily max) 19 km/h / 12 mph.
Against: wet days 13.2 days, days with heavy rain 2.4 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 46%.
July · best
In its favour: average daily high 20 °C / 68 °F, feels like (high) 18.7 °C / 66 °F, average daily low 12.3 °C / 54 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 67%, daylight per day 16.4 h, wind (daily max) 19 km/h / 12 mph.
Against: wet days 14.4 days, days with heavy rain 2.6 days, precipitation 88 mm / 3.5 in, share of rain falling in the daytime 48%.
August · best
In its favour: average daily high 19.2 °C / 67 °F, precipitation 79 mm / 3.1 in, days with heavy rain 1.8 days, feels like (high) 17.5 °C / 64 °F, average daily low 12.2 °C / 54 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 67%, daylight per day 14.7 h, wind (daily max) 21 km/h / 13 mph.
Against: wet days 13.7 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 48%.
Watch out for: Summer Bank Holiday travel rush.
September · good
In its favour: average daily high 17.1 °C / 63 °F, precipitation 65 mm / 2.6 in, days with heavy rain 1.4 days, feels like (high) 15.1 °C / 59 °F, average daily low 10.2 °C / 50 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 62%, daylight per day 12.7 h, wind (daily max) 21 km/h / 13 mph.
Against: wet days 11.1 days, sunshine per day 7.9 h, share of rain falling in the daytime 49%, relative humidity 83%.
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, 407 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) | 2.2 °C | 2.9 °C | 5.1 °C | 8.7 °C | 12.6 °C | 16.5 °C | 18.7 °C | 17.5 °C | 15.1 °C | 10.7 °C | 5.8 °C | 3.1 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 1.2 days | 1.2 days | 1.4 days | 0.7 days | 1.8 days | 2.4 days | 2.6 days | 1.8 days | 1.4 days | 1.5 days | 1.6 days | 1.7 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 8 am | 2 pm | 4 pm | 4 pm | 5 pm | 4 pm | 3 pm | 5 pm | 4 pm | 12 pm | 8 am | 7 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 4 h | 5.4 h | 7.5 h | 9.9 h | 10.6 h | 10.9 h | 11 h | 9.9 h | 7.9 h | 5.7 h | 4.4 h | 3.4 h |
| Relative humidity | 88% | 85% | 81% | 77% | 77% | 77% | 77% | 79% | 83% | 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 | 6.4 µg/m³ | 5.6 µg/m³ | 7.8 µg/m³ | 7.9 µg/m³ | 8.7 µg/m³ | 8.5 µg/m³ | 7 µg/m³ | 7.2 µg/m³ | 7.2 µg/m³ | 5.9 µg/m³ | 5.5 µg/m³ | 5.2 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 10.5 µg/m³ | 9.8 µg/m³ | 12.8 µg/m³ | 13 µg/m³ | 14.1 µg/m³ | 13.7 µg/m³ | 11.6 µg/m³ | 11.2 µg/m³ | 10.9 µg/m³ | 9.1 µg/m³ | 9.2 µg/m³ | 8.8 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
- Shrove Tuesday pancake races
February, dates vary from year to year
- Easter celebrations
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- St. George's Day
23 April
- Sheffield Food Festival
23–31 May, dates vary from year to year
- May Day festivities
1 May
- Halloween
31 October
- Christmas Market
15 November–24 December
- Remembrance Day / Armistice Day
11 November
- Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes Night)
5 November
- Boxing Day sales
26 December
Worth knowing before you go
- Christmas and New Year closures and crowding
24 December–1 January
- Easter bank holiday travel rush
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- May bank holidays travel rush
May, dates vary from year to year
- Summer Bank Holiday travel rush
August, dates vary from year to year