February Weather in Amsterdam

February weather provides you with a good excuse to spend a few hours at one of Amsterdam’s brown cafés, the Dutch answer to the British pub. On average, it is a cold month but not the wettest. If it is snowing, it is just a dusting.

A good reason to spend a weekend or longer in Amsterdam is that you will do not have to share the city with crowds of tourists. Flights and hotel rooms are still at low-season prices. Queues at popular museums, Anne Frankhuis, Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum are at their shortest.

Restaurants serve traditional Dutch food: pea soup with smoked sausage and rye bread, poffertjes – tiny, puffy pancakes, served with butter and dusted with sugar. Wash it down with mulled wine or hot chocolate with a big dollop of whipped cream.

Ice-skating is in full swing on the ice rink at Museumplein, open until 28 February 2010. Free if you have your own skates, €5 if you rent skates.

Skating at Museumplein

February is a dark month. Sunrise and sunset on 1 February 8:22 a.m. / 5.27 p.m. and on 28 February 7:31 a.m. / 6:17 pm.

You will still need a winter coat, muffler, gloves and sometimes an umbrella. This time of year average high is 5.5°C (42°F), average low -0.5°C (31°F). Average precipitation 69 mm (2.7 in)

ANNUAL EVENTS IN FEBRUARY

13 and 14 February: dancing dragons and fireworks herald the start of the Chinese New Year. elebrations centre around Zeedijk and Nieuwmarkt, Amsterdam’s Chinatown.

13 February at 22.30: Chinese New Year Eve Blessing, followed by New Year morning service at 00.00. He Hua Tempel, Zeedijk 106.

14 – 22 February: Huishoudbeurs, Household Fair. The latest innovations in interior design, fashion, health & beauty, leisure and cookery. RAI, Europalaan 22.

photo credit: personal collection