While the U.K. is famous for chilly, rainy weather, the climate is actually quite diverse and can include warm, sunny weather, fog and even snow. International students who are used to tropical and equatorial climates are often intrigued by the variety of the weather in the UK. Where else would you be lucky enough to see rain, snow, thunder and lightning, hail and warm sunshine - all in o­ne day!

In general, summers tend to be fairly cool and winters are quite mild. Average daily temperatures and rainfall vary from o­ne area to another. Overall, the warmest month is July, when the average temperature is 16.5°C, and the coldest month is January, with an average temperature of 3.8°C. The wettest month is December, when there is 78.9 mm of rain o­n average, and the driest month is April, which sees an average of 54.1 mm of rain.

In general, the west is wetter and milder than the east, and northern areas are noticeably cooler that southern o­nes. It does not snow much in the U.K., with the exception of Scotland in the north.

Since the weather is often unpredictable in the U.K., it is best to be prepared for sudden changes by carrying a foldable umbrella and an extra layer of clothing, such as a light sweater in summer months. It is also advisable to wear shoes with rubber soles and a good tread to stop you from slipping on wet roads.

Daylight in the south of England lasts for about 16 hours in June and July, but o­nly 8 hours in December and January. The difference between summer and winter daylight is even greater in Scotland because it's further from the equator.