🇺🇸 New York City vs 🇧🇪 Brussels

Humid continental — hot summers, cold winters, year-round precipitation

New York City has four distinct seasons. Fall is the sweet spot: mild temps, low humidity, and the city at peak energy. Summers are hot and muggy; winters bring snow and bitter wind chill, especially near the waterfront.

Brussels sits in a broad valley carved by the Senne river, with the city climbing from the low-lying lower town (~15m elevation) to the upper town and surrounding plateaus (~100m). This topographic split creates distinct microclimates: the lower town is prone to fog, temperature inversions, and trapped humidity, while the higher southeastern districts enjoy better ventilation and slightly cooler summers. The city's extensive parks and forested edges — particularly the Sonian Forest to the southeast — provide significant cooling corridors, but the dense 19th-century urban core generates a pronounced heat island effect.