And the saga of the terrible Dutch weather continues. Despite the ray of hope forecasted earlier this month, the latest reports from Weeronline say this year’s King’s Day (koningsdag) will see colder temperatures than New Year’s Day!
By now, King’s Day 2023 is only a few short hours away, and some across the country are already gearing up to go hard for King’s Night (koningsnacht). In spite of the anticipation and excitement in the air, those praying for a last-minute burst of sunshine and summery temperatures on April 27 should temper their expectations.
On Tuesday, Weeronline reported that this year, “the temperature on King's Day will be lower than on New Year's Day.” While this certainly isn’t great news, it isn’t quite as dramatic as you may fear; January 1, 2023, was exceptionally mild, with temperatures reaching as high as 15,6 degrees at the Dutch Weather Institute (KNMI) in De Bilt.
Those getting ready to go out on King’s Night should wrap up warm, as by midnight on Wednesday temperatures will be a chilly 5 degrees, before falling further during the course of the night. Cities and towns along the coast aren’t expected to be as cold as areas further inland, where temperatures could fall below zero. The good news? No rain is expected, so partygoers can leave their raincoats and umbrellas at home.
On April 27, the day is set to start off fairly nicely, with a decent amount of sunshine on the cards especially in the northernmost regions. As the day progresses the cloud cover will increase, with fain forecasted in the afternoon and evening, especially in the southern and western parts of the country.
As for the temperatures on King’s Day, in Groningen, it won’t get warmer than 13 degrees. Similar conditions are on the cards for Amsterdam, Utrecht, The Hague and Rotterdam, where the Dutch royal family will celebrate the big day.
These temperatures are notably lower than the average 17 degrees the Netherlands typically enjoys on April 27. In 2020, the country recorded a record-breaking high of 20,7 degrees, making it the warmest King’s Day ever. On the other side of the spectrum, 2016 saw the coldest King’s Day in recent history, with the KNMI recording highs of just 10,7 degrees at their base in De Bilt.
Thumb: Petr Pohudka via Shutterstock.com.