September weather was warmer and wetter than average

September has been, on average, one degree warmer than usual. Additionally, the month saw more rainfall and more sunshine than average, with temperature of around 15.7 degrees Celsius, according to Weeronline.

The month kicked off with near-tropical warmth, hitting 29.8 degrees in De Bilt, Utrecht—the first summer-like September day in 33 years. De Bilt is home to the Dutch meteorological office KNMI, which makes it the location of the Dutch weather average measurements, which are then used to determine national weather records.

Elsewhere in the south, temperatures soared, reaching 32.3 degrees in Maastricht and 31.4 degrees in Arcen. Overall, the main weather station in De Bilt recorded 16 warm days compared to the normal of 13. There were five summer days, with temperatures hitting 25 degrees or more, against an average of three. However, no official heat waves were recorded.

After a week and a half, colder air moved in, significantly dropping temperatures. Nights became cooler, with temperatures dipping to between 3 and 6 degrees on several occasions.

The first ground frost of the post-summer period was recorded on September 13 in Twente, where temperatures reached -0.3 degrees at ground level. This was earlier than usual, as ground frost typically occurs for the first time around September 28. At a height of 1.5 meters, the standard measurement height, frost was not observed.

With an average temperature of 15.7 degrees, September 2024 ranks as the twelfth warmest September on record. The warmest was September 2006, with an average temperature of 17.9 degrees. Last year also saw an average of 17.5 degrees, placing it second on the list.

Rainfall this month averaged 103 millimeters nationwide, compared to the normal 78 millimeters. This year, September can be classified as a particularly wet month, according to Weeronline.

All months this year, except for March, June, and August, have experienced above-average rainfall. So far, the country has received 801 millimeters of rain, while the typical measurement should be around 608 millimeters.

However, September 2024 was not record-breaking; that title remains with September 2001, which saw an average of 191 millimeters.

Furthermore, this September recorded 174 hours of sunshine, compared to the average of 164 hours. The record for the most sunshine hours remains with 1959, at 232 hours, while last year saw 211 hours of sunshine.