Autumn arrives in the Netherlands with unseasonable 22C spell

Astronomical autumn officially arrives in the Netherlands this week, bringing unseasonably mild weather and temperatures reaching up to 22 degrees celsius. Weather service Weerplaza forecasts sunny conditions and warm afternoon temperatures before cloudier skies set in later in the week.

Record Dutch summer followed by unexpected autumn

The week started cool and misty on Monday morning, with temperatures gradually rising to 18 degrees on the coast and over 20 degrees in the southeast of the country. As the week progresses, conditions will warm up further under gentle westerly winds.

The warm spell will peak on Wednesday, September 23, marking the official start of astronomical autumn. After morning fog patches clear, the sun will break through, pushing temperatures up to 22 degrees celsius, well above the late September average of 18 degrees. Some cloudiness and localised rain showers may develop in western regions later in the afternoon.

A minor shift is expected on Thursday as cloud cover builds, bringing local rain showers before clearing to afternoon sun. According to weather reports on NU, mild autumn weather is set to continue into the weekend, with the potential for another brief temperature peak.

What is astronomical autumn?

Unlike meteorological autumn, which always begins on September 1, astronomical autumn is determined by the position of the Earth's axis and orbit around the Sun. It officially starts with the autumn equinox on Wednesday, September 23.