The winter weather in December was pretty mild, and anyone who had been hoping for a white Christmas was left disappointed when the day instead welcomed brilliant sunshine and bright blue skies for much of the country. 

But 2021 has (finally) arrived - can the Netherlands finally look forward to seeing a little bit of snow? Or should those hoping to experience a bitingly cold and white winter stop holding their breath? Well, they might want to hold on to that hope for a little while longer: some parts of the country can look forward to some snow on Wednesday! 

Sleet and some snow on its way to the Netherlands

Since the start of 2021, the temperatures have dropped in thanks to a cold northeasterly wind which has meant that for many it has finally started to feel like winter. Wednesday will start off dry and gloomy, but as afternoon turns to evening, central and eastern parts of the Netherlands should experience some sleet! 

The highest points in the Netherlands, which can be found in the Utrechtse Heuvelrug and Sallandse Heuvelrug, as well as points along the Dutch border with Germany, could even wake on Thursday morning to see a thin layer of snow. And, if temperatures stay low enough, parts of Groningen, Eindhoven, and Limburg could also get to enjoy some snow. So get your gloves and sledge at the ready so you can make the most of the snow before it melts.

Why doesn’t it snow as often anymore?

Anyone who has been living in the Netherlands for a while will easily remember a number of winters in which the country experienced some serious snow - think back to December 2017, when the whole country was covered in a thick layer of snow. Or going back further, to the 1980’s when the country enjoyed snow almost every winter. 

In the 80’s, the Netherlands experienced an average of 30 to 35 snow days per year, but now this has dropped all the way down to only 18 days a year! How has this happened? The answer is pretty simple: global warming. The temperatures the Netherlands experiences throughout the winter months are simply too warm for there to be snow, or if there is snow the ground is too warm for it to truly settle for any length of time. 

The Dutch Weather Institute (KNMI) predicts that, by 2100, the Netherlands could experience as little as only one snow day per year. As temperatures continue to rise, the Netherlands will see less and less snow, with the magical weather phenomenon only becoming rarer and rarer.