Ghent, a historic city in the Flanders region of northwest Belgium, sits at the confluence of the Scheldt and Leie rivers on flat, low-lying land not far from the North Sea, at approximately 51.05°N, 3.72°E. It has a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) — mild, cloudy, breezy and changeable, moderated by the nearby sea — essentially the same mild, damp maritime climate as the rest of northern Belgium, with rain spread through the year.

Summer, from June to August, is mild rather than hot, with July and August the warmest months — average highs around 22–23°C and cool nights. Hot days are uncommon, though warm spells can briefly push temperatures into the low 30s. Atlantic air keeps the season changeable, with showers possible at any time, but summer is among the sunnier, drier and most agreeable parts of the year, with long daylight hours.

Winter, from December to February, is cold and damp rather than severe, kept mild for the latitude by the sea, with January the coolest month — average highs around 6°C and lows near 1–2°C. Frost is common on clear nights, but hard freezes and lasting snow are relatively uncommon, so the season is more often grey, wet and windy than icy, with short daylight and persistent cloud.

Ghent receives around 800–850 mm of precipitation a year, falling on many days and spread through every month with a slight autumn maximum, usually as light drizzle or brief showers rather than heavy downpours. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.

Like the rest of Flanders, Ghent's weather is dominated by cloud, wind and the influence of the North Sea, with frequent Atlantic depressions bringing changeable, often overcast conditions throughout the year. Its network of rivers and canals in a flat, low-lying landscape gives the city a damp, misty character, and settled, sunny spells are relatively rare outside the summer months.

To follow any single measurement in Ghent more closely, use our live instruments: the online barometer for atmospheric pressure, the thermometer for temperature, the hygrometer for humidity, the anemometer for wind speed, the wind vane for wind direction, and the rain gauge for rainfall.