Amsterdam weather in April

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What is Amsterdam’s April weather like?

Amsterdam weather in April brings good news and bad news.
The good news is that this is usually the driest month of the year. It does rain, but the spring showers are usually short-lived and not too wet.

Oh… and we have millions – MILLIONS – of tulips and other flowers at Keukenhof and the surrounding flower fields.

The bad news: April is a month of stark contrasts.

April doet wat hij wil, say the Dutch. That means “April does what it wants.” That can be anything from abundant sunshine and almost summer temperatures to snow on the ground.

Erratic weather, from day to day and sometimes from hour to hour. Keep things interesting.

Spring in Amsterdam

Here are some things to look forward to:

• Easter Sunday (April 9) and Easter Monday (April 10). Easter Monday is a bank holiday in the Netherlands. Many people have a day off work on Easter Monday. Banks, post offices and many businesses are closed. However, most Amsterdam museums and tourist attractions are open.
• King’s Day (April 27) World’s biggest street party.
• Keukenhof (7 million tulips and other flowers) is open all month (closes May 14, 2022).
• ‘Choosing Vincent’ – Portrait of a Family History. This special temporary exhibition at the Van Gogh Museum runs until April 10.

— See the Weather Forecast below this ad —

Amsterdam Weather Forecast, April 2023

Updated April 23, 2023

We update this Amsterdam weather forecast throughout April.

During the rest of the year see the general information on this page.

Note: Even in April the feels-like temperatures can be several degrees lower than those shown.

This week: Sunrise: 6:26 (6:26 am) — Sunset: 20:52 (8:52 pm)

Sunday, April 23, 2023 — Sunny intervals in the morning and around noon. Mostly overcast in the afternoon, with light rain from just before mi-afternoon until well past midnight. Today’s high temperature of 15° C | 59° F occurs around noon.

Monday, April 24, 2023 — Overcast. Light rain from well before daybreak until late in the afternoon. Afternoon high 9° C | 48.2° F.

Tuesday, April 25, 2023 — Overcast in the early morning. Sunny intervals arrive before noon, and stay with us until sunset — with about 55% sunshine. There’s a slight change of some light, scattered rain showers. Afternoon high 8° C | 46.4° F.

Wednesday, April 26, 2023 — Overcast, but the day ends with sunny intervals (70% sunshine). No rain. Afternoon high temperature 8° C | 46.4° F.

Thursday, April 27, 2023 (King’s Day!) — Sunny intervals, with about 50% sunshine. Abundantly sunny in the late morning and around noon. No rain. Later afternoon high temperature 13° C | 55.4° F. Enjoy your King’s Day in Amsterdam (There’s still time to book a boat!)

Friday, April 28, 2023 — Light rain in the morning. Overcast the rest of the day. Late afternoon high 14° C | 57.2° F.

Saturday, April 29, 2023 — Overcast, with a few sunny intervals in the late afternoon and early evening. About 30% chance of scattered light rain showers in the afternoon. Afternoon high 15° C | 59° F.

Long Term Amsterdam Forecast

Sunday, April 301 through Sunday, May 7: Slightly changeable with daily precipitation chances of 30%. The temperature is around or slightly below the long-term average.

Check our May weather information

Where Our Weather Information Comes From

Our weather information is based on forecasts and long-term averages as reported by various meteorological services, including the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI).

Normal High and Low Temperatures in April

1-10: 3.8 / 11.6° Celsius (38.84/ 52.88° Fahrenheit)
11-20: 4.2 / 12.6° Celsius (39.56/ 54.68° Fahrenheit)
21-31: 6 / 15.2° Celsius (42.8/ 59.36° Fahrenheit)

King’s Day Weather (Formerly Queen’s Day Weather)

What everyone wants to know this time of year is: What will the weather be like on King’s Day (formerly: Queen’s Day)?

We’re talking about the world’s biggest street party — when millions of Dutch people (wearing something orange, of course) take to the streets and canals to celebrate the King’s birthday.

King’s Day takes place on April 27, the King’s birthday.

We’ve often had good weather on that day. But at times there have been grey skies as well. That tends to make for a somewhat less abundant party atmosphere. (‘Somewhat less’ is relevant. You haven’t seen a party this big anywhere else).

Note: Make sure you book a hotel well ahead of time. Hotels tend to be fully booked around King’s Day.

See the Tulip Fields and Keukenhof Flower Garden

If you like tulips and other flowers, April is the ideal month in which to visit Amsterdam.

Excursions to the nearby tulip and bulb fields, as well as the world-renowned Keukenhof (known as the Garden of Europe, one of the world’s largest flower gardens) are popular with tourists and locals alike.

Many people combine their visit to the Keukenhof with a tour of the flower fields and/or an excursion to the famous windmills at Zaansche Schans.

When Do The Tulips Bloom?

Tulips bloom from the end of March to the middle of May. Normally the best time to visit the tulip fields is during the last 2 weeks of April and the first week of May, when the flowers are at their peak.

However, around the 30th of April most of the flowers in the fields are ‘topped.’ That means the flowers are cut off in order to stimulate the bulbs to grow. There will be some flowers left in the fields — just not as many.

What to Wear in Amsterdam in April

In April you will want to come prepared for bright, sunny weather and warm spring temperatures. Or bright, sunny weather and low temperatures. Or the kind of storms that make you think it’s fall.

In other words, try to figure out what weather the day will bring and dress accordingly. That is easier said than done. On days that weather forecasters excitedly state that it will be, say, 17 degrees (62.6° F) and sunny, it may still only be just 5° C | 41° F in the morning.

The trick is to dress in layers so you can add or leave something out if the weather changes. A light jacket is a good idea.

The only drawback is that you will have to hand-carry a sweatshirt or jacket in the afternoon, so bring a handy bag.

Cheap umbrellas are available almost everywhere, but if it does rain, simply hide in the nearest café – just like the Dutch.

Amsterdam in April Tips

• On warm, sunny days Amsterdammers come out in droves in order to shop, relax in a park, or people watch at outdoor cafés. It’s a good idea to join them. You’ll hear Dutch people say something like, “Zullen we een terrasje pakken?” which means “Shall we sit on a terrace?” (literally, ‘shall we take a terrace’). By all means, do the same. Here’s how to order a beer in Amsterdam.
• Take advantage of the lengthening days — courtesy of nature and helped a bit by the ‘Summer Time’ (Daylight Saving Time) that started the last Sunday of March. At the beginning of April sunset is around 8pm, and by the end of the month it stays light out till about 9pm.
• April is a great month in which to visit ARTIS — the is the oldest zoo in the Netherlands, the fifth oldest zoo in Europe, and the fifth oldest zoo in the world