Water temperature in Belgium

The Belgian North Sea coast through the year

Belgium has a short, continuously sandy coastline on the North Sea. The sea here is shallow and strongly shaped by the tides. It warms slowly and usually reaches its highest values in August or early September, so early summer swims are still brisk. Because the water off the coast is so shallow, it responds noticeably to long spells of heat or cold. Supervised swimming zones at the resorts generally operate from June to September.

All 23 sites are based on measurements distributed by the Copernicus Marine Service. They come from buoys and measuring platforms in the North Sea, and their values are measured rather than modelled. As most of these stations lie a little offshore, the water right at the beach can be slightly warmer on sunny days. Rivers, canals and inland swimming lakes are not yet part of this dataset.

Water quality at the bathing beaches is tested regularly during the season and rated from excellent to poor under the EU Bathing Water Directive. Tides and currents need attention along the coast, especially near the groynes where rip currents form. At low tide the sea retreats a long way, and it comes back quickly as the tide rises. It is best to swim only in supervised zones, where flags show whether swimming is allowed.