Record-breaking sunny Liberation Day expected today

The Netherlands is set to have the sunniest Liberation Day ever on Thursday. Meteorologists at Weerplaza expects just over 14 hours of sunshine, thereby breaking the record stemming from 2000 when the sun shone on the country for exactly 14 hours.

Thursday morning started out chilly, with temperatures ranging from 1 to 6 degrees and occasional frost. But the day will warm up quickly with afternoon temperatures ranging from 17 degrees in the northwest to 20 degrees in the southeast, according to the weather institute. Between 12:00 and 3:00 p.m. the UV index will be five, which means that direct sunlight will cause a sunburn within 30 minutes - so remember to wear sunscreen.

This year is the 70th celebration of Liberation Day in the Netherlands. The first was on May 5th, 1946.

On Thursday Christians in the Netherlands are also celebrating the day of Ascension - the day Jesus Christ ascended to heaven according to the bible. As in most European countries, Ascension Day is a national holiday in the Netherlands.