Haarlem, near the North Sea coast, features a temperate maritime climate with mild summers, cool winters, and rainfall throughout the year. The city experiences pronounced seasonal changes, frequent cloud cover, and brisk winds, especially in winter. Long summer days and short, grey winter days make Haarlem a dynamic destination for year-round travel and exploration.
The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.
Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.
Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.
Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.
Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.
Haarlem’s oceanic climate is shaped by its coastal proximity and prevailing westerly winds. Summers (June–August) are mild and pleasant, with average highs of 20–23°C and lows around 13–15°C. July and August are the warmest months, though heatwaves above 25°C are rare but possible. Summer days are long, with up to 16–17 hours of daylight and 7–8 hours of sunshine daily, providing ample time for outdoor activities. Rainfall is moderate, with July and August each seeing about 70–80 mm, and showers are often brief and followed by sunshine. Humidity remains moderate, and sea breezes keep the air fresh.
Winters (December–February) are cool, damp, and windy, with average highs of 6–8°C and lows near 1–3°C. January is typically the coldest month, but temperatures rarely drop below freezing. Snow is possible but infrequent and usually melts quickly. Rain is common, with December and January each receiving 70–80 mm, and sunshine is limited to 1–2 hours per day. Days are short, with only 8 hours of daylight in December. Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are transitional, with spring warming from 8°C in March to 18°C in May, and autumn cooling from 18°C in September to 9°C in November. Rain falls year-round, with annual precipitation around 980–1,000 mm, and April and May are typically the driest months. Winds are moderate to strong, especially in autumn and winter, and the weather can change quickly, so layers and rain gear are always advisable. Haarlem enjoys about 1,600–1,850 hours of sunshine annually, with the most sun in late spring and summer.
| Average climate data for Haarlem, Netherlands | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average maximum temperature (°C) | 6 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 10 | 8 | 20 |
| Average minimum temperature (°C) | 4 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 3 |
| Average precipitation (mm) | 22 | 20 | 17 | 11 | 19 | 25 | 38 | 47 | 36 | 37 | 33 | 33 | 337 |
| Average rainfall days (days) | 15 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 169 |
| Average snowfall (mm) | 6 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 23 |
| Average snowfall days (days) | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 82 | 80 | 79 | 78 | 77 | 80 | 79 | 75 | 76 | 80 | 81 | 84 | 79 |
| Average wind speed (km/h) | 26 | 26 | 22 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 24 | 25 | 28 | 22 |
| Average daily daylight hours (h) | 8 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 12 |
| Average daily sunshine hours (h) | 3 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Average cloud coverage (%) | 64 | 60 | 53 | 41 | 42 | 41 | 40 | 38 | 46 | 56 | 60 | 68 | 51 |
| Average UV index | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
The best time to visit Haarlem is from late May to September, when temperatures are mild (17–23°C), days are long, and rainfall is moderate. These months are ideal for cycling, outdoor events, and exploring the city’s historic canals and gardens, with the most comfortable and reliable weather.
The least favourable time to visit is from November to February, when Haarlem is coldest, wettest, and least sunny. Rain, wind, and short daylight hours can limit outdoor activities, though the city’s museums and cafés offer a cosy refuge from the weather.
Haarlem has a temperate maritime climate with mild summers (20–23°C), cool, damp winters (6–8°C), and rainfall throughout the year. Weather is changeable, with frequent clouds, wind, and occasional sunshine.
The best time to visit Haarlem is from late May to September, when temperatures are mild, days are long, and rainfall is moderate—perfect for outdoor activities and sightseeing.
Snow is possible in winter, especially in January and February, but it is usually light and doesn’t last long. Most winter precipitation falls as rain, and frost can occur on colder nights.
Haarlem receives about 980–1,000 mm of precipitation annually, with rain distributed fairly evenly throughout the year. August, September, and October are typically the wettest months, while April and May are driest.
Sunshine hours range from just 1.8 per day in December to up to 7.3 per day in May. The city enjoys about 1,600–1,850 hours of sunshine each year, with the most in summer.
Yes, Haarlem experiences moderate to strong winds year-round, especially in autumn and winter, due to its coastal location. Winds are generally stronger during storms, contributing to the city’s brisk, fresh atmosphere.
The warmest month, with the highest average maximum temperature, is August (19.9 °C). The month with the lowest average maximum temperature is January (5.9 °C). Overall, the average maximum temperature over the whole year is 12.6 °C.
The month with the highest average minimum temperature is August (16.6 °C). The coldest month, with the lowest average minimum temperature, is February (3.3 °C). Overall, the average minimum temperature over the whole year is 9.5 °C.
The wettest month, with the highest amount of precipitation, is August (47.4 mm). The driest month, with the least amount of precipitation, is April (11 mm). Over the whole year there are 337.4 mm of rainfall on average.
The month with the most days of rain is August (17.2 days). The month with the fewest days of rain is April (10.6 days). Over the whole year there are 169.2 days of rain on average.
The month with the most snowfall is February (9 mm). The months with the least snowfall are April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November (0 mm). Over the whole year there are 23 mm of snowfall on average.
The month with the most days of snowfall is February (2.8 days). The months with the fewest days of snowfall are April, May, June and September (0 days). Over the whole year there are 8 days of snowfall on average.
The month with the highest average relative humidity is December (83.8 %). The month with the lowest average relative humidity is August (75.1 %). The overall average relative humidity over the whole year is 79.3 %.
The windiest month, with the highest average wind speed, is December (28.2 km/h). The calmest month, with the lowest average wind speed, is July (17.9 km/h). The overall average wind speed over the whole year is 22.1 km/h.
The month with the cloudiest skies, so the highest cloud coverage, is December (68.1 %). The month with the clearest skies, so the lowest cloud coverage, is August (38.3 %). Over the whole year there is an average cloud coverage of 50.8 %.
The month with the longest days, so the most daylight, is June (Average daylight: 16.1 h). The month with the shortest days, so the least daylight, is December (Average daylight: 7.1 h). Over the whole year there are 11.7 h of daylight per day on average.
The month with the most sunshine per day is June (Average sunshine: 10 h). The month with the least sunshine per day is January (Average sunshine: 3 h). Over the whole year there are 6.3 h of sunlight per day on average.
The months with the highest average UV index are June, July and August (UV index: 5). The months with the lowest average UV index are January, February, November and December (UV index: 2). Over the whole year the average UV index is 3.3.
