Netherlands Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, and Eindhoven
Summary
The Netherlands recorded its 2nd warmest May–July on record, with three-month average temperatures reaching 17.6°C, a remarkable 2.9°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. The sustained summer heat produced six regional extreme heat days topping 35°C, tying 2003 for the second highest count in Dutch history. Globally, land temperatures over May–July ranked as the 2nd warmest on record, driven in part by a moderate El Niño forecast to peak at Very Strong in Oct-Dec, with unseasonably warm conditions expected to linger across Western Europe into early autumn.
This month in numbers
The three-month season from May to July 2026 was the 2nd warmest such period since Dutch records began in 1940, averaging 17.6°C at 2.9°C above the long-term baseline. The latest month registered an average temperature of 19.58°C (+2.8°C anomaly), placing as the 8th warmest July on record. On a planetary scale, global land surface temperatures reached 15.8°C in July (+1.6°C anomaly), making it the 3rd warmest mid-summer month globally, while the global three-month May–July average ranked 2nd warmest on record at 14.34°C (+1.5°C anomaly).
What changed
The recent three-month surge reflects a broader warming trajectory across Western Europe, placing the Netherlands 17th out of 232 countries and regions tracked worldwide for three-month temperature anomalies. At 2.85°C above baseline over May to July, the country ran 0.52°C warmer than the European group average of +2.33°C. This exceptional summer comes on top of a long-term Dutch warming trend of +1.71°C relative to 1961–1990, building directly on 2025, which closed as the 6th warmest full year on record at an average of 11.38°C.
What’s driving change?
Persistent high-pressure created localised over Western Europe during mid-summer, steering hot continental air masses into the Low Countries. As prolonged dry weather desiccated fields and urban areas, further elevated afternoon temperatures by reducing the ground's evaporative cooling capacity. On a global level, ocean temperatures are being fuelled by a moderate El Niño in the tropical Pacific, tracked at ENSO, though its direct atmospheric influence on Western European weather remains historically variable.
Looking ahead
With El Niño expected to peak as a Very Strong event in Oct-Dec with an 81% probability, multi-week seasonal outlooks favour above-average temperatures continuing across Western Europe into autumn.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – Global
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance (countries & continents) · Met Office (UK) · US states & climate regions. Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – Netherlands
Köppen Cfb · TemperateNetherlands has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfb: Oceanic / temperate), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. August is typically the warmest month, averaging 18.6°C, while January is the coldest at 4.3°C. Annual precipitation averages around 863mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly rain, with snow (water-equivalent) shown separately.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – Netherlands
Precipitation, Sunshine, Frost and Snow are converted to standard deviations from their own average so they can share an axis with Temperature.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Heatwave Days – Netherlands
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Netherlands
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Monthly Temperature – Netherlands
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Records – Netherlands
Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Cfb · TemperateHow spring and autumn have shifted in Netherlands. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (9.5°C, from 1940–1969); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 15.3°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Feb (+3.0°C). The warmest month has shifted from Jul to Aug.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Netherlands
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
Country-level temperature anomaly, sourced from Copernicus ERA5 and Hadley HadCRUT5.
Annual country and global CO₂ emissions, from the Global Carbon Project.
Monthly rainfall - Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD) preferred, World Bank CCKP/CRU TS fallback where GPCC lacks direct coverage.
Frost Days and Heatwave Days (Warm Spell Duration Index), ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Netherlands changing?
Netherlands is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
What is the climate like in Netherlands?
Netherlands has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfb: Oceanic / temperate), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. August is typically the warmest month, averaging 18.6°C, while January is the coldest at 4.3°C. Annual precipitation averages around 863mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Where does the climate data for Netherlands come from?
Climate data for Netherlands comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Netherlands climate data cover?
The Netherlands climate profile covers Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Netherlands
How often is the Netherlands climate update refreshed?
The Netherlands climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the Netherlands climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the Netherlands climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.