AMSTERDAM — Weather service KNMI has predicted an unusually cold snap for Friday night, with lower than normal temperatures and frost across the Netherlands.

A KNMI spokesman said the temperature is expected to drop to about 4 degrees Celsius with the added chance of frost. Temperatures are measured 2m above the ground, accounting for the freeze despite the higher-than-zero temperature.

But despite admitting that temperatures are lower than normal, the spokesman said the weather bureau is not issuing a warning. He said snowstorms are not expected and motorways are not expected to become slippery or dangerous.

“It is cool for this time of year, but I don’t think it is anything dangerous,” he told Expatica.

The unusual temperature is due to a northerly wind blowing cold air in from the Arctic, bringing snowstorms to the western coast of Norway on Wednesday morning. There is a chance of snow in Finland on Saturday, Dutch news service NOS predicted.

A high pressure system is currently hovering above the UK, as northerly winds pick up to the east of the pressure system. As the ground cools, cold night temperatures in the Netherlands are expected in coming days.

The overall forecast for Friday morning was cloud and rainfall in the south and east of the country. But by mid-morning the rain had started to move into Germany and northern France.

There is a chance of continued light showers for the rest of Friday and Saturday, but the temperature is not expected to top about 14 degrees Celsius. In the weekend, a cool 14 degrees is also being forecast, newspaper De Telegraaf reported.

Nights are expected to remain cold over the weekend, but sunny periods during the day are also expected and the weather will remain mainly dry. Similar weather conditions are expected heading into next week.

[Copyright Expatica News 2004]

Subject: Dutch news