Weather locations in Denmark

Denmark is a low, windswept country on the edge of the North Sea and the Baltic, and its climate is among the mildest in northern Europe given how far north it lies. The sea and the absence of any mountains mean the temperature never swings violently.

Main climate types

Classified as temperate maritime, Denmark straddles the boundary between oceanic and continental influence: Copenhagen, on Zealand, is clearly more marine than Aarhus or Aalborg further north and east. The Baltic islands and coast tend to be colder, clearer and windier, while the exposed west coast of Jutland takes the full force of Atlantic storms, especially in late autumn and winter.

Temperatures

Copenhagen averages about 1 degree in January and 18 degrees in July, and similar figures hold for most of the country. Everyday experience is more extreme than the monthly means suggest, because a cold spell in January or February can hold at or below freezing for days, while an August heat wave can reach the high 20s. Baltic winds sometimes funnel hard easterly air across the islands in winter.

Rainfall

Rainfall is around 650 to 800 millimetres a year, spread fairly evenly, though late summer and autumn are usually the wettest and spring the driest. Showers are more common than protracted rain, and the country records only about 1,400 to 1,700 hours of sunshine a year. Snow falls in most winters but usually lies only briefly on the coast, while higher ground can hold it longer.

When to go

Late June and July are the warmest and sunniest months, with long daylight and temperatures that feel high for the latitude. June and August are popular for cycling and for the beaches along the north Jutland coast. Spring and early autumn bring the most settled weather, and winter is for storm-watching on the exposed west coast rather than for comfort.