Rain and cooler weather return to the Netherlands but drought remains

After weeks of hot weather and barely a drop of rain, the Netherlands is set to have some respite in the coming days. Rain and cooler temperatures are forecast for the week and are likely to continue through the rest of the month.

Typical Dutch weather returns with rainy days

Following a record number of tropical days, Monday started off with a little rain in the morning and gives us a glimpse into the week ahead. According to Weeronline, the Netherlands can expect daily rain and lower temperatures than we’ve been experiencing lately.

Changeable weather will be here to stay for at least the rest of August, with a mix of occasional showers and dry periods with sunshine, while temperatures will not rise higher than between 20 and 24 degrees celsius. 

Nature will get some much-needed hydration as heavy showers are even expected on Thursday, especially along the coast. It will be a bit drier after this, but there will still be the occasional rain shower.

Drought concerns remain

Despite the country finally getting some rain, it doesn’t mean the drought will all of a sudden end. The precipitation deficit had already reached close to 300 millimetres at the beginning of August, placing 2026 among the five driest years in history.

Meteorologists point out that the soil has become so hard from the hot and dry weather that water from a short, intense shower will barely sink in, reports NOS. So while rain this week might help alleviate it slightly, prolonged, steady rain is needed. 

September weather forecast

It doesn’t help that, as we head into September, the rain is expected to decrease again and drier weather will return. The chance of warm weather will also increase as the month progresses, with weather models predicting a “high probability of higher-than-normal temperatures, meaning we can possibly expect warm late summer weather”.

Temperatures could once again rise above 25 degrees for several days. At the same time, nights will get longer and cooler, with foggy mornings on the cards.