Best time to visit Rotterdam
The best time to visit Rotterdam is April–June, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Rotterdam, South Holland, The Netherlands
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6.3 °C / 43 °F | 2.3 °C / 36 °F | 68 mm / 2.7 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 7.1 °C / 45 °F | 2.3 °C / 36 °F | 57 mm / 2.2 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 10 °C / 50 °F | 3.5 °C / 38 °F | 55 mm / 2.2 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 13.9 °C / 57 °F | 5.9 °C / 43 °F | 44 mm / 1.7 in | best month |
| May | 17.2 °C / 63 °F | 9.3 °C / 49 °F | 67 mm / 2.6 in | best month |
| June | 20.2 °C / 68 °F | 12.6 °C / 55 °F | 65 mm / 2.5 in | best month |
| July | 22 °C / 72 °F | 14.4 °C / 58 °F | 82 mm / 3.2 in | good month |
| August | 21.8 °C / 71 °F | 14.2 °C / 58 °F | 78 mm / 3.1 in | good month |
| September | 19.1 °C / 66 °F | 12 °C / 54 °F | 63 mm / 2.5 in | good month |
| October | 14.9 °C / 59 °F | 9.2 °C / 49 °F | 79 mm / 3.1 in | neither best nor good |
| November | 10.2 °C / 50 °F | 5.8 °C / 42 °F | 69 mm / 2.7 in | neither best nor good |
| December | 7.3 °C / 45 °F | 3.5 °C / 38 °F | 71 mm / 2.8 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: best
- MMay: best
- JJune: best
- JJuly: good
- AAugust: good
- SSeptember: good
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- April–June
- Good
- July–September
April through June bring Rotterdam its mildest, driest, sunniest weather for a day on foot; July and August stay warm but turn wetter and greyer, and October through March are cold, dim and damp.
Why these months
April · best
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 79%, days with heavy rain 0.7 days, average daily high 13.9 °C / 57 °F, average daily low 5.9 °C / 43 °F, relative humidity 75%.
Against: wet days 9.6 days, precipitation 44 mm / 1.7 in, feels like (high) 10.9 °C / 52 °F.
Also on: King's Day, Motel Mozaique, Rotterdam Marathon.
May · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 15.3 °C / 60 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 74%, average daily high 17.2 °C / 63 °F, average daily low 9.3 °C / 49 °F, relative humidity 75%.
Against: wet days 12.2 days, days with heavy rain 1.6 days, precipitation 67 mm / 2.6 in.
June · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 19.5 °C / 67 °F, average daily high 20.2 °C / 68 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 74%, average daily low 12.6 °C / 55 °F, relative humidity 76%.
Against: wet days 10.4 days, days with heavy rain 2.1 days, precipitation 65 mm / 2.5 in.
Also on: Poetry International.
July · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 21.6 °C / 71 °F, average daily high 22 °C / 72 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 76%, average daily low 14.4 °C / 58 °F, relative humidity 76%.
Against: wet days 13.9 days, precipitation 82 mm / 3.2 in, days with heavy rain 2 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 49%.
Also on: Metropolis Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival.
August · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 21.2 °C / 70 °F, average daily high 21.8 °C / 71 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 77%, average daily low 14.2 °C / 58 °F.
Against: wet days 13.8 days, precipitation 78 mm / 3.1 in, days with heavy rain 1.9 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 47%, relative humidity 78%.
Also on: Heerlijk Rotterdam, Lloydkwartier open air cinema.
September · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 17.8 °C / 64 °F, average daily high 19.1 °C / 66 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 73%, average daily low 12 °C / 54 °F.
Against: relative humidity 81%, wet days 11.1 days, days with heavy rain 1.5 days, precipitation 63 mm / 2.5 in.
Also on: Gergiev Festival, Rotterdam Harvest Festival, World Port Days.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Kreuzberg, 421 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | 2.1 °C | 3 °C | 6.2 °C | 10.9 °C | 15.3 °C | 19.5 °C | 21.6 °C | 21.2 °C | 17.8 °C | 12.7 °C | 7.1 °C | 3.4 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 1.7 days | 1.2 days | 0.8 days | 0.7 days | 1.6 days | 2.1 days | 2 days | 1.9 days | 1.5 days | 1.7 days | 1.6 days | 1.6 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 3 pm | 8 pm | 4 pm | 3 pm | 4 pm | 3 pm | 1 pm | 5 pm | 4 pm | 4 pm | 4 pm | 4 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 4 h | 5.3 h | 8 h | 10.9 h | 11.7 h | 12.3 h | 12.3 h | 11.2 h | 9.2 h | 6.6 h | 4.5 h | 3.4 h |
| Relative humidity | 87% | 84% | 79% | 75% | 75% | 76% | 76% | 78% | 81% | 85% | 87% | 88% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 8 µg/m³ | 11.7 µg/m³ | 13 µg/m³ | 12.6 µg/m³ | 12.9 µg/m³ | 14.1 µg/m³ | 12.7 µg/m³ | 12.1 µg/m³ | 11.7 µg/m³ | 8.9 µg/m³ | 8.2 µg/m³ | 8.3 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 12.1 µg/m³ | 17.5 µg/m³ | 19.4 µg/m³ | 19.1 µg/m³ | 19.9 µg/m³ | 21.8 µg/m³ | 19.2 µg/m³ | 18.6 µg/m³ | 17.2 µg/m³ | 12.5 µg/m³ | 11.9 µg/m³ | 12.4 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Reasons to go
- IFFR (International Film Festival Rotterdam)
February
- Art Rotterdam
February
- World Tennis Tournament
February
- Rotterdam Museum Night
March
- Motel Mozaique
April
- Rotterdam Marathon
April
- King's Day
26–27 April, dates vary from year to year
- Poetry International
June
- Metropolis Festival
1–7 July, dates vary from year to year
- North Sea Jazz Festival
July
- Heerlijk Rotterdam
August
- Lloydkwartier open air cinema
August
- World Port Days
September
- Gergiev Festival
September
- Rotterdam Harvest Festival
September
- Six Days of Rotterdam
December
- Bazar Curieux
December
World Heritage sites nearby
UNESCO World Heritage sites within 25 km, nearest first.
- Van Nelle Factory
3 km away
- Windmills at Kinderdijk
11 km away