Can the Netherlands look forward to a white Christmas this year?
By Victoria Séveno
The count down to Christmas has officially begun! Sinterklaas has been and gone, and the school holidays are only a few short weeks away. As the holiday stress begins to set in for many, excitement for the imminent festivities is also in the air. The question on everybody’s lips: will the Netherlands have a white Christmas this year?
Some optimistic about a white Christmas in the Netherlands
Every year, people up and down the country ask exactly the same thing, wondering whether the Netherlands will ever enjoy a properly snowy Christmas. Sadly, the Dutch weather rarely cooperates (instead offering up a white February...or a white March). What do the experts say we should expect this Christmas?
At the beginning of December, meteorologist Reinout van den Born told radio station BNR that the Netherlands should prepare for a very cold winter with lots of snow and plenty of ice: “If you look at winter from a winter perspective, the run-up to winter has never been more promising than this year, a white Christmas could very well be the case.”
Weather over Christmas remains unclear
Since then, some parts of the Netherlands have already been treated to a fairly light dusting of snow, and while WeerOnline expects that temperatures should drop in time for Christmas, reducing the chance of heavy rainfall or storms, this doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be building a snowman with the family on Christmas morning. “Calmer weather can bring frost at the end of December, but also chilly and grey weather with a few degrees above zero,” WeerOnline writes.
Similarly to WeerOnline, the experts over at WeerPlaza say the conditions over the holidays are looking fairly changeable at the moment. An area of high pressure is expected somewhere over Central Europe in the run-up to Christmas, and depending on its precise location, it could either bring cold wintery conditions, or milder temperatures.
To sum up: Will the Netherlands close off 2021 with a white Christmas? It seems the experts aren’t too sure yet. So no matter what weather you’re hoping for this festive season, be sure to keep your fingers crossed!
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Victoria grew up in Amsterdam, before moving to the UK to study English and Related Literature at the University of York and completing her NCTJ course at the Press Association in London. She has a love for all things movies, animals, and food. Read more