Belgium climate is mainly temperate, maritime with the air masses form the Atlantic being integral to the development of its patterns. Thus Belgian weather is highly variable because of the influences of great fluctuation in those same air masses that govern it. Belgium’s seacoast receives the lowest annual rainfall in the country, its weather characterized by a large number of hot days. Weather is mild and humid in the coastal region, with noticeable temperature variation farther inland. The high southeasterly region experiences hot summers and in sharp contrast, very cold and often snowy winters. Fine weather prevails between April and October and the average annual temperature is 8°C. Brussels records mean temperature averages of 10°C, the average dropping to 3°C in January and rising as high as 18°C in July.

Heavy rainfalls frequently temper Belgium weather patterns and average annual rainfall is between 700 and 1000 mm with most of the rain falling in the Ardennes region. Winters are characteristically damp and cool with fog frequently covering the landscape in its thick layers, and summers are rather mild in comparison.

Understandably, elevation and distance determine to a great extent the regional climatic differences experienced inland: as maritime influences begin to lose their power over the climate’s disposition weather becomes increasingly continental and greater seasonal extremes in temperature levels are more pronounced. The Ardennes region is by far Belgium’s coldest, temperatures dipping considerably the highest and farthest inland. Winter experiences snow fall for about 30 to 35 days, with frost occurring for the best part of the season, roughly for about 120 days. January is the coldest month of the year its mean minimum temperatures lower than elsewhere. In contrast, the higher temperatures are experienced in the Flanders region.