Why does it rain so much in the Netherlands? | DutchReview (2024)

If you’ve ever visited, lived (or still live) in the Netherlands, then you know that the weather can be a bit hit-and-miss. Whether it’s rainy, windy, stormy, freezing, snowing, or rainy again, there always seems to be something to complain about.

Some people say it rains so much here because the House of Orange arranged it with the powers that be so that Dutch people have something to talk about!

But seriously, why does it rain so much in the Netherlands? And does it actually rain that much more than in other places? What is up with the weather in the Netherlands?! Let’s find out!

The Dutch climate

As you probably know, the Netherlands is located next to the North Sea, and the wind direction usually blows southwest, which means it has what’s known as a ‘moderate maritime climate.’ Fun fact: in Dutch this is known as het zeeklimaat (sea climate).

READ MORE | How to survive the Dutch winter: weather, clothing, and more.

This means that Holland experiences warm (but not hot) summers and fairly mild winters, without any really big temperature changes during the seasons (which is certainly not how it feels to us during winter, or summer for that matter).

But compared to places such as, say, Canada, the Netherlands doesn’t actually get that cold.

Rain in the Netherlands

While it seems like it rains a lot in the Netherlands, in actuality, the average rainfall isn’t that high.

The main reason that it sure seems to rain so much is that the weather can be very unpredictable, and the lack of mountains in the Netherlands means there is nothing to block any incoming depressions from the sea.

The Netherlands actually only receives about 700 millimetres of rainfall a year, which is fairly similar to places such as San Antonio, Texas — just without any of the really extreme temperature changes, floods, and tornadoes!

But while we can tell you that it doesn’t actually rain that much here, it doesn’t change the fact that the unpredictability of the weather can still be annoying.

Even if the weather seems nice and sunny in the morning, by the afternoon it might be raining; so you should always take an umbrella or jacket with you, just in case.

And when you go out during the middle of summer, expecting a lovely warm sunny day, but instead you get RAIN (again!), it sure does feel like it’s always raining!

How to survive the weather in the Netherlands

While it might not rain a huge amount, the rainfall does come fairly often in small parts. And even those small parts can be annoying when you are trying to get to work or school, sight-see or travel around the country. Our top tips for surviving the Dutch rain?

Always carry a decent umbrella with you — preferably one small enough to fit in a bag but strong enough not to turn inside out as soon as it’s windy, which it usually is here in the Netherlands!
If you’re getting into the Dutch habit of biking everywhere, make sure you cover your bike seat with a plastic bag (held on with a rubber band) when you’re leaving it outside — this will save you having a wet behind when you have to get back on it after a rain shower!
Check the weather apps, but don’t always trust them. Sometimes mine has told me it’s snowing when it’s sunny, so at least look outside as well.
If it is raining (or pouring), take advantage of some of the country’s great indoor attractions: such as museums, art galleries, and breweries. Every major city in the Netherlands, like Amsterdam, Leiden, and Tilburg, has great museums you can go to!

For more tips on surviving the Dutch weather and to learn some new Dutch words about rain, make sure you watch this amusing video by the Survival Guide to the Dutch!

How do you survive the weather here? Let us know in the comments below!
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in March 2018, and was fully updated in January 2024 for your reading pleasure.