The Climate of
Belgium
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Horse bus operating in Brugges
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Climate Map
Climate map of Belgium
What is the climate of Belgium like?
Belgium is a small country about the same size as the Netherlands, which borders it on the north. It has a short coastline on the North Sea and is bordered on the west by France and on the east by Germany and Luxembourg.
The climate may be described as temperate and approximating to that of southern England, but it is a little colder in winter. In the Ardennes, owing to the greater elevation, the winters are more severe.
Belgium has a temperate maritime climate with moderate temperatures in both summer and winter. In the coastal region, the climate is mild and humid. The northern part of the country is low-lying and similar to the adjoining Netherlands. There are marked temperature changes farther inland. The central part of the country is of moderate elevation and consists of gently rolling countryside. Here the climate is a little colder in winter and warmer in summer than along the coast. It is also rather wetter in summer and thunderstorms are more frequent. The mean temperature in Brussels ranges from 3.5°C (38°F) in January to 18°C (64°F) in July. Rainfall averages between 700 and 1,000 millimeters (28 and 40 inches) per year and is evenly spread out over the twelve months.
| Climate data for Brussels (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 6.1 (43.0) | 7.1 (44.8) | 10.9 (51.6) | 15.0 (59.0) | 18.4 (65.1) | 21.2 (70.2) | 23.2 (73.8) | 23.0 (73.4) | 19.5 (67.1) | 14.9 (58.8) | 9.9 (49.8) | 6.6 (43.9) | 14.7 (58.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.7 (38.7) | 4.2 (39.6) | 7.1 (44.8) | 10.4 (50.7) | 13.9 (57.0) | 16.7 (62.1) | 18.7 (65.7) | 18.4 (65.1) | 15.2 (59.4) | 11.3 (52.3) | 7.2 (45.0) | 4.3 (39.7) | 10.9 (51.7) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 1.4 (34.5) | 1.5 (34.7) | 3.5 (38.3) | 6.0 (42.8) | 9.2 (48.6) | 12.0 (53.6) | 14.1 (57.4) | 13.9 (57.0) | 11.3 (52.3) | 8.1 (46.6) | 4.6 (40.3) | 2.1 (35.8) | 7.3 (45.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 75.5 (2.97) | 65.1 (2.56) | 59.3 (2.33) | 46.7 (1.84) | 59.7 (2.35) | 70.8 (2.79) | 76.9 (3.03) | 86.5 (3.41) | 65.3 (2.57) | 67.8 (2.67) | 76.2 (3.00) | 87.4 (3.44) | 837.2 (32.96) |
| Source: Royal Meteorological Institute | |||||||||||||
The southern third of the country is rather sparsely populated. This is the Ardennes region which consists of forested hills with an average elevation of 300 to 500 meters (1,000–1,600 feet). Here the winters are distinctly colder and, in an average year, snow may lie for as many as fifty days in the higher parts as compared with an average of ten days in the north of the country. Winters here are also wetter than farther north and hill fog occurs frequently. Summer in the Ardennes is only a little cooler than in the north and not very much wetter. Bastogne is representative of conditions in the Ardennes. The region can receive as much as 1,400 millimeters (55 inches) of rain annually.
| Climate data for Bastogne (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 3.1 (37.6) | 4.2 (39.6) | 8.2 (46.8) | 12.1 (53.8) | 16.3 (61.3) | 19.1 (66.4) | 21.4 (70.5) | 21.1 (70.0) | 17.2 (63.0) | 12.7 (54.9) | 7.0 (44.6) | 3.8 (38.8) | 12.3 (54.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 0.3 (32.5) | 0.8 (33.4) | 4.1 (39.4) | 7.1 (44.8) | 11.3 (52.3) | 14.1 (57.4) | 16.3 (61.3) | 15.9 (60.6) | 12.5 (54.5) | 8.8 (47.8) | 4.2 (39.6) | 1.3 (34.3) | 8.2 (46.8) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −2.4 (27.7) | −2.7 (27.1) | 0.0 (32.0) | 2.2 (36.0) | 6.3 (43.3) | 9.0 (48.2) | 11.2 (52.2) | 10.7 (51.3) | 7.8 (46.0) | 5.1 (41.2) | 1.4 (34.5) | −1.2 (29.8) | 4.0 (39.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 104.9 (4.13) | 83.2 (3.28) | 86.9 (3.42) | 68.5 (2.70) | 78.5 (3.09) | 79.4 (3.13) | 76.9 (3.03) | 81.9 (3.22) | 78.7 (3.10) | 91.4 (3.60) | 90.0 (3.54) | 105.5 (4.15) | 1,025.8 (40.39) |
| Source: Royal Meteorological Institute | |||||||||||||
Except during severe winter weather in the Ardennes, the weather and climate of Belgium are rarely unpleasant or uncomfortable. Average daily sunshine amounts range from about two hours a day in January to between seven and eight hours in June.
When is the best time to visit Belgium?
Belgium's weather is temperate if somewhat unreliable, with frequent rain showers. May-September is the best time to visit.
References
- E. A. Pearce, Charles Gordon Smith, (1990) The Hutchinson World Weather Guide, John Murray Press. ISBN 1859863426
- Timothy L. Gall, (ed.), (2003), Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations, Eleventh Edition, Thomson Gale
- Hugh Chisholm, (ed.), (1911), Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh edition, Cambridge University Press
The Climate of
Belgium
In summary:
Belgium has a temperate maritime climate with moderate temperatures in both summer and winter. In the coastal region, the climate is mild and humid. There are marked temperature changes farther inland. In the high southeasterly districts, warm summers alternate with cold winters.