The Netherlands is in for a classic Dutch bait-and-switch this week: a few more days of moody, unsettled skies before the weather flips completely and delivers scorching summer warmth just in time for the Whitsun (Pinksteren) long weekend. We’re talking 25 degrees, long evenings, and maybe even a brush with 30.
The week starts with rain, showers, and a chance of thunderstorms, but from Thursday, everything changes. Consider it the universe charging an entry fee for the good stuff.
Rain now, rewards later
Monday and Tuesday bring wet weather, with heavy showers and some thunderstorms expected, particularly in the east. Wednesday stays unsettled too, with scattered showers across the country. Yes, really. We’re nearly at June and it’s still doing this.
According to Weeronline, the first half of the week sits well below what’s typical for late May. While mid-May averages around 19°C, Monday and Tuesday will barely scratch 15°C in most places, with Wednesday topping out at a thrilling 17°C.
Cosy, if you’re a tulip. Less so if you had terrace plans.
The turnaround: Thursday onwards
Here it is. The moment the Netherlands has been collectively gasping for since approximately last September.
From Thursday, the mercury climbs sharply and it doesn’t stop. Thursday brings 16 to 21°C, and by Friday it’s genuinely pleasant across nearly the whole country, hitting 21 to 25°C. Over the long Pinksteren weekend, the heat builds further, and according to Weerplaza, some weather model calculations for southeast Netherlands even point towards a tropical 30 degrees next week. Yes, 30. In the Netherlands. In May.
Dust off the BBQ, excavate the suncream from wherever it’s been buried since last summer, and prepare to complain about the heat instead.
Long evenings included, finally
The sunny spell comes with a bonus that makes it feel properly, undeniably summery. The sun won’t set until around 21:30, and night-time lows will barely dip below 10°C, meaning even late evenings outside will be a delight.
Terrace weather well into the night. No jacket required. Go on, leave it at home.
Rough news for hay fever sufferers
Not everyone will be popping the prosecco. Rising temperatures mean grasses currently in bloom will ramp up pollen production fast, and if you’re sensitive to grass pollen, brace yourself for a tough stretch ahead.
Suncream for one half of the population, antihistamines for the other. Summer in the lowlands, baby.
The longer outlook
The signals for the rest of May point firmly in one direction: a hotter-than-usual stretch looks likely across much of the Netherlands and wider Europe. Typical late-May highs sit between 16 and 21°C, so a sustained run well above that, with evenings stretching light past 9:30pm, is about as good as it gets before June officially rolls in.
It’s coming. Finally, genuinely, actually coming.
Are you already planning your first proper terrace session of the year, or are you the type to stubbornly insist it’ll cloud over again? Let us know in the comments and tell us how you’re planning to make the most of it.
A long time coming 🌻