As the Netherlands perches on the cusp of winter, (so long, autumn!), a drop in temperature has appeared almost right on cue.Â
If you found yourself reaching for the thermostat a little more often over the weekend, you weren’t alone. The weather in the Netherlands has reached freezing temperatures for the first time since the end of March.
The southeast and east of the country were particularly hard-hit, with the mercury dropping below -5 degrees.
In response, the KNMI (Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute) issued a warning this morning of slipperiness. Motorists are urged to be alert, particularly on bridges and viaducts.
Chilly today
Today, the west and north will be cloudy with a light drizzle, but the sun may appear in the east and southeast this morning.
Enjoy it, because by the afternoon the whole Netherlands will be under cloud cover, the rain will start to enter from the west, and then a southerly wind will start to blow. Brrr!
Winter begins tomorrow
Tomorrow, December 1, marks the start of the meteorological winter — and boy is it coming in strong. Temperatures will reach 8 to 10 degrees tomorrow, and that’s the hottest we can expect this week.
Bring an umbrella in the morning, but we may see some sun break through every now and then.
Wednesday and Thursday forecast
Settle in for a steaming cup of gluhwein coffee on Wednesday and Thursday morning because it will be mostly cloudy outside.
Temperatures won’t be excessively cold on these days with 6-8 degrees, and a little rain is expected on Thursday.
Sinterklaas will wear his winter coat
Friday and Saturday will really mark the cold season. An easterly wind will send a chill directly into the Netherlands, so temperatures will top out at just five degrees during the day. Nighttime may see us drop below zero.
While the weather services are predicting some precipitation, there’s only a small chance it will be wet snow — instead, rain, rain, rain is likely. Surprise, surprise!
Are you looking forward to winter in the Netherlands? Tell us in the comments below!
Feature Image: Guillermo Casales/Unsplash
Yup, It’s cold out there. We are looking forward to some snow.