SEASONS: Brussels has a four-season year based on temperature and the vegetative cycle. Spring (April and May) brings blossoms and new growth. Summer (June through September) means no more frost and snow, while vegetation is in full foliage. Autumn (October and November) sees the deciduous trees drop their leaves, the annual plants die, and the first frosts appear. Winter (December through March) is the season of vegetative dormancy, and subject to snow and below-freezing temperatures.
SUNNIEST MONTHS: May through September sees the most sunshine, although it's not a lot. In general, only 35% of the year's daylight hours will be sunny. May has the most, with 44%, while December only gets 15%. From November through February, about half the days will see no sunshine at all. Even when it does shine in winter, it's pretty weak. On Midwinter Day, it will only get less than 16░ above the horizon at high noon.
WARMEST MONTHS: July and August, with warm (not hot) days and cool nights. The hottest actual temperature of the year will be around 90░, but will feel a degree or two cooler. It will probably occur in July. Sensible temperatures (the ones you actually feel) of 90░ or higher are rare, and can be expected no more than once or twice each summer--sometimes not even that.
With summer days being mild to warm and nights generally cool, only very rarely will the nights will be hot enough that you will sleep better with some sort of room-cooling. Generally speaking, an open window is more than enough to cool the room.
COOLEST MONTHS: January and February. At this time of year, you can expect frosty mornings on just under half of the days. About one day a week, and Arctic front will move through, and you should be ready for afternoon temperatures to remain below freezing all that day. The coldest temperature of the year will be around 14░, and will probably occur in January.
Even during the coldest months, most of the precipitation will come as rain. What snow does fall, does not remain on the ground for long.
DRIEST MONTHS: May and September. Some 43% of the year's days will get no measurable precipitation; that is, they will get less than a hundredth of an inch. May and September will have 54% such days, whereas January will get only 27%. A "dry day" in the table, however, is one with less than a tenth of an inch--a more useful measure. It takes at least that much to wet the ground under the trees.
Much of the winter rain that characterizes the area comes in the form of day-long light drizzles mixed with heavy mists. Although they don't bring much rain, they do get things wet. The Irish (who get a lot of them) refer to such weather as "soft" days. Philosophical acceptance and warm woolens help.
THINGS TO KNOW: The city will often have a distinct "urban heat island" effect. Under windless and rainless conditions (or near), the city center will be many degrees warmer than the outlying suburbs. This is especially noticeable at night and in the winter. Precipitation of any kind diminishes this effect, and a strong wind will eliminate it completely. Snowfall is also much lighter in the city center, and melts more rapidly. The table data refer to this city center.
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