Best time to visit Swansea
The best time to visit Swansea is May–July, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Swansea, Wales, 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 | 8.1 °C / 47 °F | 5.3 °C / 42 °F | 130 mm / 5.1 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 8 °C / 46 °F | 5.2 °C / 41 °F | 99 mm / 3.9 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 9.1 °C / 48 °F | 5.6 °C / 42 °F | 90 mm / 3.5 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 11.3 °C / 52 °F | 7.3 °C / 45 °F | 58 mm / 2.3 in | good month |
| May | 13.7 °C / 57 °F | 10 °C / 50 °F | 79 mm / 3.1 in | best month |
| June | 16.3 °C / 61 °F | 12.8 °C / 55 °F | 82 mm / 3.2 in | best month |
| July | 17.9 °C / 64 °F | 14.6 °C / 58 °F | 99 mm / 3.9 in | best month |
| August | 17.9 °C / 64 °F | 14.9 °C / 59 °F | 108 mm / 4.3 in | good month |
| September | 16.9 °C / 62 °F | 13.4 °C / 56 °F | 109 mm / 4.3 in | good month |
| October | 14.4 °C / 58 °F | 11.5 °C / 53 °F | 144 mm / 5.7 in | neither best nor good |
| November | 11.3 °C / 52 °F | 8.4 °C / 47 °F | 152 mm / 6 in | neither best nor good |
| December | 9.2 °C / 49 °F | 6.6 °C / 44 °F | 162 mm / 6.4 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: neither
- AApril: good
- MMay: best
- JJune: best
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: good
- SSeptember: good
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- May–July
- Good
- April, August–September
Best from May to July when skies are brightest and rain lightest; April, August and September are good but a touch cooler or wetter; the rest of the year is too cold, dull, wet and windy for comfortable exploring.
Why these months
April · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 75%, days with heavy rain 1.6 days, average daily low 7.3 °C / 45 °F.
Against: average daily high 11.3 °C / 52 °F, wet days 10.1 days, precipitation 58 mm / 2.3 in, feels like (high) 8.3 °C / 47 °F, relative humidity 79%.
Watch out for: Good Friday and Easter Monday bank holiday.
May · best
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 72%, days with heavy rain 2.3 days, average daily high 13.7 °C / 57 °F, average daily low 10 °C / 50 °F.
Against: wet days 12.4 days, precipitation 79 mm / 3.1 in, feels like (high) 11.6 °C / 53 °F, relative humidity 80%.
Also on: Rhododendron and azalea bloom at Clyne Gardens.
Watch out for: Early May bank holiday, Spring bank holiday.
June · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 15.2 °C / 59 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 72%, average daily high 16.3 °C / 61 °F, days with heavy rain 2.5 days, average daily low 12.8 °C / 55 °F.
Against: wet days 12.8 days, precipitation 82 mm / 3.2 in, relative humidity 82%.
Also on: Swansea Bay Rally.
July · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 17.1 °C / 63 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 71%, average daily high 17.9 °C / 64 °F, days with heavy rain 2.9 days, average daily low 14.6 °C / 58 °F.
Against: wet days 15.2 days, precipitation 99 mm / 3.9 in, relative humidity 82%.
Also on: Swansea Bay Rally.
August · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 16.6 °C / 62 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 71%, average daily high 17.9 °C / 64 °F, days with heavy rain 3.3 days, average daily low 14.9 °C / 59 °F.
Against: wet days 16 days, precipitation 108 mm / 4.3 in, relative humidity 82%.
Also on: Swansea Bay Rally.
Watch out for: Summer bank holiday.
September · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 15 °C / 59 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 68%, average daily high 16.9 °C / 62 °F, average daily low 13.4 °C / 56 °F, days with heavy rain 3.7 days.
Against: wet days 14.1 days, precipitation 109 mm / 4.3 in, relative humidity 81%.
Beach and swimming
Hot, dry and sunny. Penalises the monsoon hard.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: neither
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
No month is good for this in Swansea.
Air and sea stay too cool for a beach holiday all year: even peak summer barely reaches 18C with an 18-19C sea, and rain and wind persist throughout.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Glencoe Mountain Resort, 558 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) | 3.6 °C | 3.5 °C | 5 °C | 8.3 °C | 11.6 °C | 15.2 °C | 17.1 °C | 16.6 °C | 15 °C | 11.6 °C | 7.5 °C | 4.7 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 4.7 days | 3.4 days | 3.1 days | 1.6 days | 2.3 days | 2.5 days | 2.9 days | 3.3 days | 3.7 days | 4.9 days | 5.5 days | 6.8 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 11 pm | 12 pm | 11 pm | 8 am | 8 am | 8 am | 10 am | 8 am | 8 pm | 7 am | 5 am | 1 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 4.4 h | 5.8 h | 7.9 h | 10.4 h | 11.3 h | 11.9 h | 11.5 h | 10.4 h | 8.6 h | 6.5 h | 4.9 h | 4.1 h |
| Relative humidity | 83% | 83% | 81% | 79% | 80% | 82% | 82% | 82% | 81% | 82% | 82% | 84% |
Sea temperature
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature 2022–2025 | 7.7 °C | 7.4 °C | 8.2 °C | 10.6 °C | 14.1 °C | 16.8 °C | 18.2 °C | 18.8 °C | 17.9 °C | 15.1 °C | 12.2 °C | 9.3 °C |
| Sea temperature (daily max) 2022–2025 | 7.8 °C | 7.5 °C | 8.3 °C | 10.9 °C | 14.4 °C | 17.1 °C | 18.5 °C | 19 °C | 18 °C | 15.2 °C | 12.3 °C | 9.4 °C |
- Very cold 10 °C or less
- Cold 10 to 15 °C
- Cool 15 to 20 °C
- Comfortable 20 to 25 °C
- Warm 25 to 28 °C
- Very warm over 28 °C
The words describe how the water feels to swim in. They are ours, not an official standard.
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 | 6.7 µg/m³ | 6.8 µg/m³ | 8.3 µg/m³ | 9.6 µg/m³ | 9.7 µg/m³ | 10.4 µg/m³ | 7.6 µg/m³ | 8.5 µg/m³ | 7.6 µg/m³ | 6.6 µg/m³ | 5.9 µg/m³ | 5.5 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 10 µg/m³ | 10.5 µg/m³ | 12.8 µg/m³ | 14.9 µg/m³ | 15 µg/m³ | 16 µg/m³ | 11.6 µg/m³ | 12.6 µg/m³ | 11 µg/m³ | 9.7 µg/m³ | 9 µg/m³ | 8.2 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
- St David's Day
1 March
- Rhododendron and azalea bloom at Clyne Gardens
May
- Swansea Bay Rally
June, July and August
- Dylan Thomas Festival
27 October–9 November
- Swansea Festival of Music and the Arts
October
- Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday
8–14 November, dates vary from year to year
Worth knowing before you go
- Christmas and New Year holiday period
24 December–1 January
- Good Friday and Easter Monday bank holiday
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- Early May bank holiday
1–7 May, dates vary from year to year
- Spring bank holiday
25–31 May, dates vary from year to year
- Summer bank holiday
25–31 August, dates vary from year to year