RAVeL W4 Canaux, fleuves et rivières: which way and when to ride
The best month for RAVeL W4 Canaux, fleuves et rivières is September: 77% of days were dry with highs of 10–30 °C. In September, riding Leers-Nord → Anhée meant an average tailwind of 2.2 km/h (ERA5 2006–2025, daytime 9:00–18:00).
Weather by month
| Month | Good days | Rain days ≥ 1 mm | Rain, mm | Avg high | Days ≥ 30 °C | Days < 10 °C | Daylight, h |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8% | 28% | 73 | 6 °C | 0% | 85% | 8.5 † |
| February | 17% | 29% | 63 | 7 °C | 0% | 75% | 10.0 † |
| March | 45% | 25% | 62 | 11 °C | 0% | 45% | 11.7 |
| April | 67% | 24% | 45 | 15 °C | 0% | 17% | 13.7 |
| May | 72% | 28% | 68 | 18 °C | 0% | 2% | 15.4 |
| June | 72% | 26% | 71 | 21 °C | 2% | 0% | 16.4 |
| July | 71% | 25% | 67 | 23 °C | 5% | 0% | 16.0 |
| August | 68% | 27% | 74 | 22 °C | 6% | 0% | 14.5 |
| September | 77% | 21% | 55 | 19 °C | 1% | 0% | 12.5 |
| October | 72% | 23% | 70 | 15 °C | 0% | 7% | 10.6 † |
| November | 36% | 27% | 67 | 10 °C | 0% | 50% | 8.9 † |
| December | 12% | 26% | 77 | 7 °C | 0% | 77% | 8.0 † |
Best months are all months within 3 percentage points of the best one. † less than 11 hours of daylight — long stages get tight.
Wind by month
| Month | Wind Leers-Nord → Anhée, km/h | Headwind > 15 km/h, Leers-Nord → Anhée | Headwind > 15 km/h, Anhée → Leers-Nord | Better way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | +3.0 | 3% | 14% | Leers-Nord → Anhée |
| February | +2.1 | 6% | 14% | Leers-Nord → Anhée |
| March | +2.2 | 6% | 14% | Leers-Nord → Anhée |
| April | +1.3 | 5% | 8% | either |
| May | +3.2 | 3% | 12% | Leers-Nord → Anhée |
| June | +3.6 | 1% | 9% | Leers-Nord → Anhée |
| July | +5.1 | 1% | 12% | Leers-Nord → Anhée |
| August | +4.4 | 1% | 10% | Leers-Nord → Anhée |
| September | +2.2 | 2% | 8% | Leers-Nord → Anhée |
| October | +1.0 | 4% | 9% | either |
| November | +1.6 | 4% | 10% | either |
| December | +2.4 | 4% | 12% | Leers-Nord → Anhée |
Along the route (sections of about 25 km)
| km | Heading | Tailwind in September, km/h |
|---|---|---|
| 0–25 | SE | +1.2 |
| 25–50 | SE | +1.7 |
| 50–76 | E | +3.1 |
| 76–101 | E | +3.9 |
| 101–126 | SE | +2.1 |
| 126–151 | E | +2.7 |
| 151–176 | SE | +0.3 |
| 176–188 | E | +3.3 |
How to read the numbers
Wind is the 10 m wind of a 25-km grid cell, daytime hours 9:00–18:00 local solar time; at saddle height in a sheltered valley it is weaker, on a coast or ridge stronger. A positive value is a tailwind. ERA5 slightly over-counts days with ≥ 1 mm of rain (by about 5–7 percentage points) and underestimates daily highs by 1–2 °C. Good day = less than 1 mm of rain between 9:00 and 18:00 (riding hours, local solar time) and a high between 10 and 30 °C; rain at night or in the evening does not spoil it.