Netherlands on track for the rainiest January ever

The Netherlands is on track for the wettest January since weather services started keeping track of the rainfall. This month is already in the top 5 wettest Januaries ever recorded, and more rain is expected in the week to come, Weeronline reported.

An average of 120 mm of rain has fallen over the country so far. Only 15 mm more rain is needed for this January to be the wettest on record. Weeronline expects about 11 millimeters to fall in the rest of the month, meaning that this month will likely hit the top 3.

The wettest January on record was in 1988, with 135 millimeters of rain. In second place is 1995 with 130 mm, followed by 1984 with 129 mm and 1948 with 127mm. The typical average for the climate period 1991 to 2020 was 72 mm of rain in January.

The national weather station in De Bilt is already experiencing its wettest January on record, with no less than 158 mm. The previous record was 147mm in 1984.

So far this year, the wettest part of the country is a wide strip from Zuid-Holland to Drenthe. Barendracht in Zuid-Holland, for example, has already gotten 179 mm of rain. Soest in Utrecht got 174 mm and Berschenhoek in Zuid-Holland 171 mm. Limburg is the driest part of the country, though the province also got more rain than usual. Heibloem and Roermond got the least rain this month at 74 mm each.

Meteorological institute KNMI expects some more rain in the Netherlands on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, and next week Monday. The days will be mostly cloudy, with occasional sunshine. Wednesday and Friday will be cold, with afternoon temperatures between 3 and 5 degrees. The rest of the days will have around typical maximums for the time of year, ranging between 8 and 10 degrees.