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Leeds sits in West Yorkshire in northern England, in the valley of the River Aire on the eastern side of the Pennine hills, at approximately 53.80°N, 1.55°W. It has a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) — mild, cloudy and changeable — but its position in the rain shadow east of the Pennines makes it drier than the cities of the northwest like Manchester and Liverpool, with cool summers and cold, damp winters.
Summer, from June to August, is mild and often cloudy, with July the warmest month — average highs around 20°C and cool nights. Warm, settled spells bring the occasional hot day, but most summers are changeable, with showers frequent even at their height. It is among the drier and brighter parts of the year, though rarely truly hot.
Winter, from December to February, is cold and grey, with January the coldest month — average highs around 6–7°C and lows near 1°C. Its inland, northern position brings more frost than the milder coastal cities, and cold snaps can bring snow, especially on the higher ground around the city, though lying snow in the centre seldom lasts long before milder Atlantic air returns.
Leeds is relatively dry for northern England, receiving around 740–810 mm of rain a year — sheltered by the Pennines to its west, which wring much of the moisture out of the Atlantic air before it reaches the city — with rainfall spread through the year and an autumn and winter maximum. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.
Leeds owes its comparative dryness to the Pennine rain shadow: the hills to its west catch the brunt of the Atlantic rain, leaving the city noticeably drier than Manchester just across the watershed. Its inland, northern setting gives it cold, frosty winters, while the surrounding Yorkshire uplands see markedly more snow and cloud than the valley city itself.
To follow any single measurement in Leeds more closely, use our live instruments: the online barometer for atmospheric pressure, the thermometer for temperature, the hygrometer for humidity, the anemometer for wind speed, the wind vane for wind direction, and the rain gauge for rainfall.