Netherlands Weather and Climate
Geographical location
According to COUNTRYAAH, the Netherlands is a country in northern Western Europe.
The parliamentary monarchy is bounded in the north and west by the North Sea, in the south by Belgium and in the east by the Federal Republic of Germany.
About a fifth of the total land area is covered with water. Overall, the kingdom is very flat, the highest point on the mainland is on the Vaalserberg in the south and reaches a height of 322.5 meters.
The most important rivers are the Meuse, the Rhine and the Scheldt. The capital is Amsterdam, but the government is in The Hague.
The term Holland actually refers to the north-western part of the Netherlands, but is colloquially used for the entire country.
In addition to the mainland and the European islands, the Kingdom of the Netherlands also includes overseas territories such as Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao and Sint Maarten in the Caribbean.
- Abbreviation Finder: Check to see national geography, brief history, society description, domestic politics, economy overview, and a list of widely used acronyms about Netherlands.
Climate in the Netherlands
The Netherlands has a temperate maritime climate, which is due to its proximity to the North Sea and its location in Central Europe. The climate is characterized by not too warm summers and relatively mild winters. The seasons show only slight differences in temperature. The North Sea acts as a heat store in winter. As a result, temperatures that are not too low are reached.
The average temperature in winter is around two ° C. In spring and summer, the water of the North Sea is quite cold and therefore has a cooling effect on the climate near the coast. The average maximum temperature in summer is 20 ° C. The temperature differences between summer and winter increase the further you go to the south of the Netherlands and away from the North Sea coast.
The climate on the border with Germany and Belgium in the southeast of the Netherlands is characterized by moderately cold winters and slightly higher summer temperatures. Snow can also fall on the peaks of the hilly landscape, which is more of an exception on the coast or on islands. Strong storms in the coastal regions and on the islands are from October to February normal. The days of precipitation spread quite evenly over the whole year.
When to go to the Netherlands
The best time to travel to the Netherlands for a beach holiday is the summer months from June to August. In June and July the days are long and in August the North Sea has reached a temperature suitable for bathing. In spring and autumn you can also travel to the sea to take walks on the beach in moderate winds. If you are planning a city trip, you should also travel in the period from May to September.
Optimal travel time for the regions
In the following overview you can see the best travel time depending on the region (Netherlands).
| Place | Best travel time |
| Amsterdam | May, June, July, August and September |
| Maastricht | May, June, July, August and September |
| Texel | June, July, August and September |
| Terschelling | June, July, August and September |
| Zandvoort | June, July, August and September |
| Noordwijk aan Zee | June, July, August and September |
| Scheveningen | June, July, August and September |
Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine in Amsterdam (Netherlands)
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Daytime temperature | 5 ° C | 6 ° C | 9 ° C | 12 ° C | 17 ° C | 19 ° C | 21 ° C | 22 ° C | 18 ° C | 14 ° C | 9 ° C | 7 ° C |
| Night temperature | 1 ° C | 0 ° C | 2 ° C | 4 ° C | 8 ° C | 10 ° C | 13 ° C | 12 ° C | 10 ° C | 7 ° C | 4 ° C | 2 ° C |
| Water temperature | 6 ° C | 6 ° C | 7 ° C | 9 ° C | 12 ° C | 15 ° C | 17 ° C | 18 ° C | 18 ° C | 16 ° C | 13 ° C | 9 ° C |
| Precipitation in mm | 62 | 43 | 59 | 41 | 48 | 68 | 66 | 61 | 82 | 85 | 89 | 75 |
| Rainy days | 8 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 8 |
| Hours of sunshine | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Sunrise | 8:40 | 7:55 | 6:55 | 6:45 | 5:45 | 5:20 | 5:35 | 6:20 | 7:15 | 8:05 | 8:00 | 8:45 |
| Sunset | 16:55 | 17:50 | 18:40 | 20:35 | 21:30 | 22:05 | 21:55 | 21:10 | 19:55 | 18:45 | 16:50 | 16:30 |
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Amsterdam is 9.7 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is July (17 ° C), coldest month of January with mean values of 3 ° C. The maximum water temperature in Amsterdam is 18 ° C. Pleasant bathing is possible from temperatures of around 21 ° C. The months of July, August and September have a water temperature of at least 17 ° C. Bathing is then possible to a limited extent.
Precipitation
The annual precipitation is 779 mm on 109 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. There is no rainy season, i.e. months with more than 175 mm of precipitation. In the months of January, February, March, April, November and December snowfall is possible.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, May is the sunniest month with an average of 7 hours of sunshine per day. On average over the year, the sun shines for 4.3 hours per day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.
Cities nearby
The following larger towns are nearby and have a similar climate: Utrecht, Utrecht, Almere, Haarlem, Amersfoort, Zaanstad, Haarlemmermeer, Zaanstad, Amersfoort, Hoofddorp, Zoetermeer, Leiden, Leiden, Zoetermeer, Alphen am Rhein and Alkmaar.
Highlights and attractions
The capital Amsterdam has its very special charm due to the canal belt that runs through the city. You can explore it on foot or on a canal cruise and see other sights such as the Westerwerk or the Anne Frank House.
The Keukenhof is a park with 7 million flower bulbs surrounded by fields of tulips. Another attraction is the cheese market in Alkmaar, which takes place on Friday mornings in the summer months. Popular destinations in Holland include Ameland, Zeeland, the island of Texel, Scheveningen and Zandvoort.
