Brussels vs Rotterdam: which is sunnier?
🇧🇪 Belgium vs 🇳🇱 Netherlands · 117 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Brussels and Rotterdam are virtually tied for annual sunshine — about 1,609 vs 1,668 hours a year. Brussels has the higher Sunshine Score in 5 of 12 months; the other 7 are within 2 points.
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Brussels | Rotterdam | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 1,609 | 1,668 |
| Sunniest month | September (78/100) | July (74/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 3/100 | 3/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 74/100 | 72/100 |
| Rain / year | 763 mm | 834 mm |
| Peak midday UV | 5 (moderate) | 5 (moderate) |
Brussels vs Rotterdam month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brussels | Rotterdam | Brussels | Rotterdam | Brussels | Rotterdam | |
| January | 0 | 0 | 5° | 6° | 69 | 77 |
| February | 0 | 0 | 6° | 6° | 60 | 66 |
| March | 13 | 7 | 10° | 9° | 55 | 55 |
| April | 47 | 34 | 15° | 13° | 38 | 38 |
| May | 71 | 52 | 19° | 16° | 59 | 56 |
| June | 76 | 70 | 22° | 19° | 63 | 62 |
| July | 74 | 74 | 24° | 21° | 75 | 78 |
| August | 73 | 72 | 23° | 21° | 79 | 87 |
| September | 78 | 69 | 20° | 19° | 55 | 70 |
| October | 45 | 43 | 15° | 15° | 63 | 79 |
| November | 13 | 12 | 10° | 10° | 69 | 81 |
| December | 0 | 0 | 6° | 7° | 78 | 85 |
The sunnier month by month: Jan even · Feb even · Mar Brussels · Apr Brussels · May Brussels · Jun Brussels · Jul even · Aug even · Sep Brussels · Oct even · Nov even · Dec even.
When to pick which
- November–February: too close to call — Brussels averages 3/100, Rotterdam 3/100. Daytime highs are similar (7°C vs 7°C). See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: Brussels (average score 44/100 vs 31). Brussels is the warmer, around 15°C daytime highs vs 13°C.
- June–August: too close to call — Brussels averages 74/100, Rotterdam 72/100. Brussels is the warmer, around 23°C daytime highs vs 20°C.
- September–October: Brussels (average score 62/100 vs 56). Daytime highs are similar (18°C vs 17°C).
Full month-by-month guides: Brussels weather by month · Rotterdam weather by month · Best time to visit Netherlands.
More comparisons: Brussels vs Lille · Brussels vs Eindhoven · Brussels vs Ostend · Rotterdam vs Amsterdam · Rotterdam vs Eindhoven · Rotterdam vs Ostend · all head-to-heads