Sea water still too cold for swimming, rescue brigade warns

Warm spring weather lured many Dutch to the seaside on Sunday. But while the weather is warming, the sea water is still too cold for swimming, the Dutch rescue brigade warns.

Sunday was the first official warm day of the year, with maximum temperatures climbing to 20.2 degrees in De Bilt. The highest temperature was measured in Enschede at 20.8 degrees, RTL Nieuws reports. It is somewhat early for the first national warm day of the year, that usually only happens around mid-April. The first local warm day of this year was on February 27th, when temperatures climbed to 20.5 degrees in Arcen.

Swimmers still need to take the cold sea water into account, Enrico Hazenoot of the rescue brigade in Noordwijk said to RTL. "The sea is calling, but it is a risk if people go in. You can become hypothermic", he said. This especially applies to children. "Parents let their children go into the sea up to their waist and then there is a risk of children getting hypothermia. Children are often not aware that the sea is still too cold to swim in. It only gets better in May, June."

Monday will be another warm day, with temperatures ranging between 14 and 21 degrees, according to Weeronline. The rest of the week will be chilly. From Wednesday maximums of around 11 degrees are expected.