Weather locations in Holland

The Netherlands lies on the North Sea at about 52 degrees north, close to the latitude of eastern England, and the sea is the single most important fact about its climate. Warm water from the gulf stream reaches the coast, so the country has a temperate maritime climate with mild winters, cool summers and rain scattered through the year rather than concentrated in one season.

Main climate types

The whole country falls in the temperate oceanic class, and there is no part of it that is properly continental. The coast is the mildest place, since the seas moderate everything. The eastern and southern parts, particularly Limburg, are slightly more sheltered and show the first signs of a continental regime with cooler nights and warmer days, while the Wadden islands and Zeeland are the windiest and most exposed.

Temperatures

Amsterdam has January means near 5 degrees Celsius and July about 18, and the country has no deserts or mountains close by to push extremes up or down. Hard frosts are uncommon in the west and occur on only a handful of nights a year, more often inland. Summer daytime conditions usually peak in the low 20s, and heatwaves above 35 degrees are rare. Spring and autumn are changeable.

Rainfall

Annual rainfall is about 800 millimetres in the centre of the country and more than 1,000 in the coastal dunes and the highest ground of Limburg. It is distributed fairly evenly, with no marked dry season; autumn and early winter are usually the wettest, and thunderstorms are most common in the summer. Most of the rain arrives as persistent drizzle rather than downpours.

When to go

Late spring to early autumn, from May to September, is the most comfortable period, with long days and the least wind. Winter, especially from December to February, brings wind, persistent drizzle and occasional freezing, though mild spells are frequent.