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United Kingdom

Cambridge

City break

Cambridge at a glance

Best time
May – Sep
Warmest month
Jul · 22°
Sunshine a year
1,610 h
Rain a year
641 mm
Climate
Maritime
Time zone
UTC+0 / UTC+1
Elevation
12 m

Climate in Cambridge

Cambridge has a maritime climate with moderate summers and cool, often grey winters. July is the warmest month with average highs of 22 °C, while January is the coolest at 7 °C. With around 1,610 hours of sunshine a year, Cambridge is moderately sunny; July is the sunniest month with 6.6 hours a day.

Holiday weather through the year

Your holiday weather, at a glance

Weather in October

51

Holiday weather in October

Fair

Best time to visit: May – September

A typical day in October

  1. Morning, 08:00: about 10°
  2. Midday, 13:00: about 15°
  3. Afternoon, 16:00: about 15°
  4. Evening, 20:00: about 12°
  5. Night, 23:00: about 11°

07:2218:08

Cool evenings: pack a jumper or a jacket.

Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.

Light for photos in October

Golden hour
Morning 07:01–08:09 · evening 17:21–18:29
Blue hour
Morning 06:48–07:01 · evening 18:29–18:42

Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.

What is the weather like in Cambridge in October?

In October, Cambridge is cool: daytime highs average 15 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 4 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 62 mm in total. All in all, October is a so-so month for a holiday in Cambridge.

More details for October

Daylight
10 h 45 min07:22 – 18:08
UV index
2 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
Muggy days
0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
Wind
23 km/haverage daily peakAll months
Cloud cover
71 %on averageAll months
Hot days
0 days30 °C or more
Snow days
0 days1 cm or more of fresh snow
Time zone
UTC+1Europe/London

How the score comes together

  • Temperatureweight 50 %69 %
  • Sunshineweight 20 %10 %
  • Few rainy daysweight 30 %48 %

Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.

What to pack in October

  • A jumper for the evenings
  • Rain jacket or umbrella
Sunshine

Sunshine hours in Cambridge

Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.

Per year
1,610 hours
Sunniest month
Jul · 6.6 h a day
Least sunshine
Dec · 1.8 h a day
OctoberSunshine 3.6 hDaylight 10.8 hShare of daylight 33 %
SunshineDaylight

In October, the sun shines for about 3.6 of 10.8 hours of daylight in Cambridge, 33 % of the day.

Sunshine hours: estimated from radiation data (ERA5, 1996–2025) and calibrated against measured station values; no weather station is close enough here. Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.

Sun protection

UV index in Cambridge

How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.

Clear-sky UV in October
2 · lowLittle protection needed; sunglasses on bright days.

The sun is strongest in June (UV 7).

Minutes until sunburn in October

Very fair skin
about 75 min
Fair skin
about 90 min
Light brown skin
over 2 h
Olive skin
over 2 h

Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen it, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.

Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.

Rain

Rain in Cambridge: rainy days and rainfall

A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.

Per year
641 mm on 129 days
Wettest month
Oct · 62 mm
Driest month
Mar · 42 mm
OctoberRainy days 11Rainfall 62 mm

In October, Cambridge has about 11 rainy days with 62 mm of rain in total.

Wind & clouds

Wind and clouds in Cambridge

How breezy and how cloudy Cambridge is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.

Wind

Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.

Year average
22 km/h · moderate breeze
Windiest month
Feb · 25 km/h
Calmest month
Jul · 20 km/h
OctoberWind 23 km/hBeaufort 4

In October, the wind in Cambridge typically peaks at 23 km/h during the day: Beaufort 4, moderate breeze.

Clouds

Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.

Year average
69 % · mostly cloudy
Clearest month
Jul · 65 %
Cloudiest month
Dec · 72 %
OctoberCloud cover 71 %Sunshine 3.6 h

In October, cloud covers on average 71 % of the sky over Cambridge: mostly cloudy, with about 3.6 hours of sunshine a day.

Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.

Climate through the year

Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.

Best time to visit

Nights and sleep in Cambridge

How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.

  • Cold 0–8°
  • Cool 8–15°

CoolOctober: nights around 9°. A duvet at night and a jumper for the evening.

The coolest nights are in January (2°), the warmest in August (14°). Nights fall below 8 °C on average from November to April, so the room should be heated.

Temperatures through the year

Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.

OctoberDay 15°Night 9°
DayNight
MonthScoreDayNightSunRain daysRain mm
JanuaryJan167°2°2.0 h1149
FebruaryFeb188°2°2.9 h1043
MarchMar3110°3°3.8 h1042
AprilApr5113°5°5.6 h1145
MayMay6816°8°6.5 h1157
JuneJun7819°11°6.5 h1060
JulyJul7522°13°6.6 h1262
AugustAug7622°14°6.2 h1161
SeptemberSep7619°11°5.0 h948
OctoberOct5115°9°3.6 h1162
NovemberNov2610°5°2.4 h1158
DecemberDec148°3°1.8 h1254

Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences

52.20° N, 0.12° E · 12 m · Europe/London

Best time to visit

Best time to visit Cambridge

The best time to visit Cambridge is from May to September. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, conditions are most comfortable from May to September. The wettest month is October with 62 mm of precipitation.

Cambridge through the seasons

How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.

Cambridge in spring

Mar – May

50

Fair

  • 10–16 °C by day
  • 5 h of sun a day
  • 32 rainy days in all

Cambridge in summer

Jun – Aug

76

Good

  • 19–22 °C by day
  • 6 h of sun a day
  • 33 rainy days in all

Cambridge in autumn

Sep – Nov

51

Fair

  • 10–19 °C by day
  • 4 h of sun a day
  • 32 rainy days in all

Cambridge in winter

Dec – Feb

16

Poor

  • 7–8 °C by day
  • 2 h of sun a day
  • 32 rainy days in all

Find your perfect month

Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Cambridge for you.

Sunshine
Little rain

Your best months: July – August

Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.

Compare two months in Cambridge

Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.

vs.

June has the better holiday weather in Cambridge: score 78 against 51. In June, days are 4 °C warmer than in October. June has one rainy day fewer. The sun shines 3 hours longer a day in June.

October vs. June, Cambridge
MonthOctoberJune
Weather score5178better
Day high15°19°
Night low9°11°
Sunshine3.6 h6.5 hbetter
Rainy days1110better
Rainfall62 mm60 mm

Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.

Which month for what?

Beach & swimming

No sea nearby

Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry

Sightseeing & hiking

May – Sep

15–28 °C and not too much rain

Cambridge month by month

The typical weather for every month at a glance.

16January7° · 2 h

In January, Cambridge is cold: daytime highs average 7 °C, and nights cool down to about 2 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 49 mm in total. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Cambridge.

Cambridge in January
18February8° · 3 h

In February, Cambridge is cold: daytime highs average 8 °C, and nights cool down to about 2 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 43 mm in total. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Cambridge.

Cambridge in February
31March10° · 4 h

In March, Cambridge is cool: daytime highs average 10 °C, and nights cool down to about 3 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 4 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 42 mm in total. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Cambridge.

Cambridge in March
51April13° · 6 h

In April, Cambridge is cool: daytime highs average 13 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 45 mm in total. All in all, April is a so-so month for a holiday in Cambridge.

Cambridge in April
68May16° · 7 h

In May, Cambridge is mild: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 57 mm in total. All in all, May is a good month for a holiday in Cambridge.

Cambridge in May
78June19° · 7 h

In June, Cambridge is mild: daytime highs average 19 °C, and nights cool down to about 11 °C. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 60 mm in total. All in all, June is a good month for a holiday in Cambridge.

Cambridge in June
75July22° · 7 h

In July, Cambridge is warm: daytime highs average 22 °C, and nights cool down to about 13 °C. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 62 mm in total. All in all, July is a good month for a holiday in Cambridge.

Cambridge in July
76August22° · 6 h

In August, Cambridge is warm: daytime highs average 22 °C, and nights cool down to about 14 °C. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 61 mm in total. All in all, August is a good month for a holiday in Cambridge.

Cambridge in August
76September19° · 5 h

In September, Cambridge is mild: daytime highs average 19 °C, and nights cool down to about 11 °C. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 9 rainy days and 48 mm in total. All in all, September is a good month for a holiday in Cambridge.

Cambridge in September
51October15° · 4 h

In October, Cambridge is cool: daytime highs average 15 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 4 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 62 mm in total. All in all, October is a so-so month for a holiday in Cambridge.

Cambridge in October
26November10° · 2 h

In November, Cambridge is cool: daytime highs average 10 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 58 mm in total. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Cambridge.

Cambridge in November
14December8° · 2 h

In December, Cambridge is cold: daytime highs average 8 °C, and nights cool down to about 3 °C. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 54 mm in total. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Cambridge.

Cambridge in December
Compare

Cambridge compared

Put Cambridge side by side with another destination.

Nearby:
Compare with home:

Cambridge vs. Peterborough

In October the holiday weather in Cambridge and Peterborough is about equally good (score 51 vs. 49). During the day it is about as warm in Peterborough as in Cambridge.

Cambridge vs. Peterborough, in October
in OctoberCambridgePeterborough
Holiday score5149
Daytime high15°15°
Sunshine4 h4 h
Rainy days1112
Best timeMay – SepMay – Sep

Through the year

OctoberCambridge 15°Peterborough 15°
CambridgePeterborough
Go to Peterborough
Ranking

United Kingdom in October: the best places

In October, Cambridge ranks 1 among the 31 nearest destinations in this country.

  1. CambridgeThis page15°51
  2. 2London15°51
  3. 3Canterbury15°50
  4. 4Peterborough15°49
  5. 5Watford15°49
  6. 6Slough15°49
  7. 7Brighton15°16°49
  8. 8Reading15°48
All destinations: United Kingdom

Planning a trip to Cambridge

Weather for your travel dates

Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.

Cambridge in the school holidays

How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.

Cambridge has its best school-holiday weather during the summer holidays (score 76) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 15).

  • Easter holidays

    Mar – Apr

    45

    Fair

    • 12 °C by day
    • 5.1 h of sun a day
    • 10 rainy days a month
  • May half-term

    May – Jun

    70

    Good

    • 17 °C by day
    • 6.5 h of sun a day
    • 11 rainy days a month

    Good for: Sightseeing & walks

  • Summer holidays

    Jul – Aug

    76

    GoodBest holidays

    • 22 °C by day
    • 6.3 h of sun a day
    • 11 rainy days a month

    Good for: Sightseeing & walks

  • October half-term

    Oct

    51

    Fair

    • 15 °C by day
    • 3.6 h of sun a day
    • 11 rainy days a month
  • Christmas holidays

    Dec – Jan

    15

    Poor

    • 7 °C by day
    • 1.9 h of sun a day
    • 11 rainy days a month

Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.

Getting there

Flying from

Nonstop flight
Short trip – train or car is often quicker
Distance
90 km
Time zone
UTC+1
Jet lag
Hardly any (under 3 h)

Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.

Frequently asked questions about Cambridge

When is the best time to visit Cambridge?

The best time to visit Cambridge is from May to September. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.

What is the warmest month in Cambridge?

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 22 °C and nights around 13 °C. January is the coolest month at 7 °C.

When does it rain most in Cambridge?

The wettest month is October with 62 mm of precipitation. The driest month is March with 42 mm.

How many hours of sunshine does Cambridge get?

Cambridge gets around 1,610 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is July with 6.6 hours a day; in December there are 1.8 hours a day.

What time zone is Cambridge in?

Cambridge uses the time zone Europe/London: UTC+0 in January and UTC+1 in July.

Which school holidays are best for Cambridge?

Cambridge has its best school-holiday weather during the summer holidays (score 76) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 15). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 45, May half-term 70, Summer holidays 76, October half-term 51, Christmas holidays 15.

Near Cambridge

Other destinations close by.

Places with a climate like Cambridge

Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Cambridge's – good alternatives.

  1. 91% similar49WinchesterUnited Kingdom15°Best time: May – Sep
  2. 91% similar45GloucesterUnited Kingdom14°Best time: May – Sep
  3. 90% similar45CheltenhamUnited Kingdom14°Best time: May – Sep
  4. 90% similar45BristolUnited Kingdom15°Best time: May – Sep