Rotterdam vs Ostend: which is sunnier?
🇳🇱 Netherlands vs 🇧🇪 Belgium · 137 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Ostend is the sunnier overall: about 1,769 hours of sunshine a year to Rotterdam's 1,668. Ostend 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
| Rotterdam | Ostend | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 1,668 | 1,769 |
| Sunniest month | July (74/100) | June (78/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 3/100 | 3/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 72/100 | 76/100 |
| Rain / year | 834 mm | 778 mm |
| Warmest sea | 20°C / 68°F | 21°C / 70°F |
| Peak midday UV | 5 (moderate) | 5 (moderate) |
Rotterdam vs Ostend month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | Sea °C | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rotterdam | Ostend | Rotterdam | Ostend | Rotterdam | Ostend | Rotterdam | Ostend | |
| January | 0 | 0 | 6° | 6° | 77 | 67 | 6° | 7° |
| February | 0 | 0 | 6° | 7° | 66 | 59 | 7° | 7° |
| March | 7 | 13 | 9° | 10° | 55 | 54 | 8° | 8° |
| April | 34 | 41 | 13° | 14° | 38 | 39 | 10° | 11° |
| May | 52 | 65 | 16° | 18° | 56 | 58 | 14° | 14° |
| June | 70 | 78 | 19° | 21° | 62 | 62 | 18° | 18° |
| July | 74 | 75 | 21° | 22° | 78 | 74 | 19° | 20° |
| August | 72 | 74 | 21° | 22° | 87 | 80 | 20° | 21° |
| September | 69 | 72 | 19° | 19° | 70 | 58 | 19° | 19° |
| October | 43 | 44 | 15° | 15° | 79 | 71 | 16° | 15° |
| November | 12 | 12 | 10° | 10° | 81 | 77 | 11° | 11° |
| December | 0 | 0 | 7° | 7° | 85 | 79 | 8° | 8° |
The sunnier month by month: Jan even · Feb even · Mar Ostend · Apr Ostend · May Ostend · Jun Ostend · Jul even · Aug even · Sep Ostend · Oct even · Nov even · Dec even.
When to pick which
- November–February: too close to call — Rotterdam averages 3/100, Ostend 3/100. Daytime highs are similar (7°C vs 8°C). See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: Ostend (average score 40/100 vs 31). Daytime highs are similar (13°C vs 14°C).
- June–August: Ostend (average score 76/100 vs 72). Ostend is the warmer, around 22°C daytime highs vs 20°C.
- September–October: too close to call — Rotterdam averages 56/100, Ostend 58/100. Daytime highs are similar (17°C vs 17°C).
Sea temperature
Ostend's sea gets warmer: 21°C / 70°F at its peak vs 20°C. Swimmable water (21°C+): Rotterdam never, Ostend about 1 month a year. Month-by-month sea temperatures are in the table above.
Full month-by-month guides: Rotterdam weather by month · Ostend weather by month · Best time to visit Netherlands.
More comparisons: Rotterdam vs Brussels · Rotterdam vs Amsterdam · Rotterdam vs Eindhoven · Ostend vs Paris (Roissy-en-France, Val-d'Oise) · Ostend vs London · Ostend vs Brussels · all head-to-heads