Snow for Groningen, cold rain elsewhere

It took a long wait, but the Netherlands is finally experiencing real winter weather.

Following a light snow flurry in the north Thursday night, weather forecasts from KNMI were that this region, Groningen, would continue to experience excessively cold weather with chances of more snow throughout the weekend. KNMI said that the rest of the country would see cold winds from the east, with cloudy weather and probably rain. “By day the temperature would fluctuate around five degrees Celsius and drop to around freezing point by night,” the service said. “A small low pressure area” brought a few centimeters of snow to Groningen Thursday night, promising Groningers white landscapes throughout the weekend; tonight will be dry, but with the expected freeze the white blanket of snow will probably remain on the ground. Around nightfall Saturday, a couple of hours of snowfall will bring about five to 10 centimeters more flakes. “The variations are far apart in the Netherlands; it will be white in the north-east, but turbulent and wet in the south-east,” Weerplaza meteorologist Michiel Severin said. The coast of Zeeland and Zuid Holland could see 90 km/h gusts, but by Sunday the stormy winds will subside. Sunday night could see more snow in the north-east, and more rain in the south-east. This weather disturbance should drive smoother air to the north, with temperatures above zero. Winter temperatures will return by Wednesday. By Thursday and Friday next week, the country will probably experience the first nationwide frost of this winter season. The temperature is expected to remain below zero then, weeronline.nl’s Matthijs van der Linden predicted.