Leeuwarden weather in August

In August, Leeuwarden sees average daytime highs of 20°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 84 mm of rain across 13.9 wet days and about 14.5 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 21°C in the first days to 19°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 20% of the time in August, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 15 h 30 min at the start of August to 13 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, August is Leeuwarden's 4th-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Leeuwarden's year-round climate.

Daytime high
20°
1st warmest
Overnight low
15°
12th coldest
Rainfall
84 mm
13.9 wet days
Daylight
14 h 36 min
5:24 AM – 7:58 PM
Cloud cover
63%
4th clearest
Wind
17 km/h
11th windiest
Solar energy
4.65 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.8
out of 10

Leeuwarden is capital city of Friesland, the Netherlands.

Density
1,483/km²
people per km²
Founded
1435

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in August

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 21°C in the first days to 19°C by the end.

A typical August day in Leeuwarden reaches about 20°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 17°C and 25°C. Set against its neighbours, August runs on par with July and about 3°C warmer than September.

10°15°20°25°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12115
22115
32115
42115
52115
62115
72115
82115
92115
102115
112115
122115
132115
142115
152115
162115
172015
182015
192015
202014
212014
222014
232014
242014
252014
262014
271914
281914
291914
301914
311914

How August really feels in Leeuwarden

Once humidity and wind are folded in, August averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

August sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Leeuwarden weather by month

How August compares with the rest of the year at a glance. August is the 1st-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / 6512.91.17.90.1
Feb / 4910.41.69.40.2
Mar / 4810.80.811.51.3
Apr12° / 419.3013.63.1
May15° / 5710.8015.64.6
Jun18° / 12°6511.7016.65.4
Jul20° / 14°7813.2016.25.9
Aug20° / 15°8413.9014.55.8
Sep17° / 12°7512.8012.45.1
Oct14° / 7513.8010.33.4
Nov / 6613.90.18.41.6
Dec / 7113.41.17.40.5

Cloud cover in August

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 20% of the time in August.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 24% of August, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 56%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14951
24951
34852
44852
54951
64852
74852
84753
94753
104555
114555
124456
134456
144456
154357
164258
174258
184258
194159
204159
214159
224258
234258
244258
254258
264258
274258
284159
294159
304159
314159

Chance of precipitation in August

Any precipitation

Leeuwarden gets around 84 mm of rain over 13.9 wet days in August, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 45% and peaks near 47% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
141
241
342
442
542
642
743
843
944
1044
1145
1245
1346
1446
1546
1647
1747
1847
1947
2047
2147
2247
2347
2447
2546
2646
2746
2846
2946
3045
3145

Humidity in August

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of August feels comfortable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, August lands in the comfortable band about 44% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
12450233
22450233
32549233
42549232
52648232
62748242
72747242
82846242
92946242
102945241
113045241
123044241
133044242
143144242
153144232
163243232
173243222
183243222
193343212
203443212
213443202
223543192
233743182
243842172
254042172
264141162
274340152
284540142
294639131
304839131
314938121

Wind in August

Winds average 17 km/h in August.

Across August, daily wind ranges from about 16 km/h on the calmest days to 18 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
116light breeze
216light breeze
316light breeze
416light breeze
516light breeze
616light breeze
716light breeze
817light breeze
917light breeze
1017light breeze
1117light breeze
1217light breeze
1317light breeze
1417light breeze
1517light breeze
1617light breeze
1717light breeze
1817light breeze
1917light breeze
2017light breeze
2117light breeze
2217light breeze
2317light breeze
2417light breeze
2517light breeze
2617light breeze
2717light breeze
2818light breeze
2918light breeze
3018light breeze
3118light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in August

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 15 h 30 min at the start of August to 13 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 114 minutes over August. Sunrise moves from 4:58 AM to 5:50 AM, and sunset from 8:27 PM to 7:23 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
115.54:588:27
215.45:008:26
315.45:028:24
415.35:038:22
515.35:058:20
615.25:078:18
715.15:088:16
815.15:108:14
915.05:128:12
1015.05:138:10
1114.95:158:08
1214.85:178:06
1314.85:198:04
1414.75:208:02
1514.65:228:00
1614.65:247:58
1714.55:267:56
1814.45:277:54
1914.45:297:51
2014.35:317:49
2114.25:337:47
2214.25:347:45
2314.15:367:42
2414.05:387:40
2514.05:407:38
2613.95:417:35
2713.85:437:33
2813.85:457:31
2913.75:477:28
3013.65:497:26
3113.65:507:23

Solar energy in August

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in August, about 4.65 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.52 kWh/m² to a high of 5.75 kWh/m² in June across the year — August's 4.65 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.3Bright
35.3Bright
45.2Bright
55.2Bright
65.1Bright
75.1Bright
85.0Bright
95.0Bright
104.9Bright
114.9Bright
124.8Bright
134.8Bright
144.7Bright
154.7Bright
164.6Bright
174.6Bright
184.5Bright
194.5Bright
204.4Bright
214.4Bright
224.3Bright
234.3Bright
244.2Bright
254.2Bright
264.1Bright
274.0Bright
284.0Moderate
293.9Moderate
303.9Moderate
313.8Moderate
Planning a trip in August

Is August a good time to visit Leeuwarden?

Our two travel scores rate August for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

5.8
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
3.2
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

August is a reasonable time to visit Leeuwarden for sightseeing.

What to pack for Leeuwarden in August

From August's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In August, Leeuwarden sees daytime highs around 20°C and nights near 15°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 14 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Leeuwarden in August

The nearest coast averages about 18°C in August — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 23 km away) is warmest in August at about 18°C and coldest in February near 5°C.

The water stays below 20°C all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

5°10°15°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshing
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan6Bracing
Feb5Bracing
Mar6Bracing
Apr8Bracing
May11Bracing
Jun15Bracing
Jul17Cool
Aug18Cool
Sep17Cool
Oct14Bracing
Nov11Bracing
Dec8Bracing

UV index in Leeuwarden in August

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in August peaks around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Leeuwarden peaks around June 23 at about 6 (high) — a little sun protection helps at midday. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 6 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighModerateLowJun 23UV 6Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb1Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr3Moderate
May5High
Jun6High
Jul6High
Aug6High
Sep4Moderate
Oct2Low
Nov1Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Leeuwarden?

Leeuwarden sits at 53.2°N, 5.8°E, 1 m above sea level, in The Netherlands. The nearest listed city is Sneek, 21 km away.

SneekDrachtenHarlingenHeerenveenLeekGroningenKorrewegwijkSteenwijk

Topography around Leeuwarden

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Leeuwarden.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Leeuwarden has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 17 m around an average of 2 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 21 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 62 m.

The land around Leeuwarden is covered by artificial surfaces (42%), grassland (28%) and trees (24%) within 3 km, grassland (71%) within 16 km, and water (49%) and grassland (27%) within 80 km.

3 km
17 m
16 km
21 m
80 km
62 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
August weather nearby: Sneek 21 km · Drachten 22 km · Harlingen 26 km · Heerenveen 28 km · Leek 38 km · Groningen 50 km · Korrewegwijk 51 km · Steenwijk 51 km

The Netherlands travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type C / F
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 84% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$73,684
2025
Happiness
7.2 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
100%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.7
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
4
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Very high
EF EPI 624
Religion
none 54%Roman Catholic 20%Protestant 15%other 6%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Leeuwarden (53.2027°, 5.8097°, elevation 1 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).