Antwerp has a temperate maritime climate with all four seasons and mild temperatures year round. Antwerp is the capital of the Antwerp province in Flanders in northwest Belgium. It sits on the banks of the River Sheldt around 40 miles from its mouth on the North Sea.
Summer, between June and September, is mildly hot and sunny. The average high temperature sits in the low 20s, peaking at 22°C in July and August and falling just below 20°C in September. Sunny days can often see the temperature spiking into the high 20s. Night times are cool and the heat never reaches uncomfortable levels. It rains often but sunshine levels are still good as showers usually leave a clear sky. Around seven hours of sunshine can be expected per day for most of the season, though September is much more overcast with only five hours per day.
Autumn, in October and November, is mild and wet. The average high temperature falls to the mid teens in October and just below 10°C in November. Night times are very chilly from the beginning of the season, getting down to an average low of 3°C in November. The south-westerly winds increase in intensity and bring with them higher rainfall; it rains on almost two thirds of the days in each month. This sees sunshine levels dwindling behind a grey sky.
Winter, from December till February, is generally unpleasant with wool temperatures and plenty of rain. The average high temperature stays around 6°C and the average low around 1°C for the entire season. The winds from the Atlantic grow stronger at the start of the season and the city is sometimes visited by heavy storms. As the winds abate rainfall decreases, dropping to its lowest point in February. Rainfall is lower in winter than in autumn, but December and January are particularly dreary with relentless light showers. Sunshine levels drop to one per day in December then steadily increase.
Spring, between March and May, is mild with only moderate rainfall. The average high temperature slowly creeps up, reaching a not unpleasant average high of 14°C in April and a pleasant 18°C in May. From mid May the temperature can get up to 20°C when the sun comes out for long enough. Night time temperatures remain cool and warmth cannot be relied upon in the days as the south-westerly winds can always pick up again, bringing cool, wet weather with them. Sunshine levels steadily increase, getting up to five hours per day in May.
Antwerp is a modern, metropolitan city with all the trimmings so there is always something to do no matter the weather. It is a sophisticated mix of the old and the new; its rich history and longstanding financial success are in evidence all round in the ancient and starkly modern architecture, art and daily life.