King's Day to be pleasant, but colder than New Year's Day

King’s Day on Thursday is set to be a relatively pleasant day, with little wind and room for sunshine. But the day will be colder than usual, with maximums even coming in below that of New Year’s Day in the heart of the winter, Weeronline reported.

It has to be said that New Year’s Day was exceptionally mild this year, with a maximum of 15.6 degrees in De Bilt. The King’s Day maximums will range between 10 and 15 degrees, north to south.

“The run-up to King’s Day is downright cold for the time of year,” Weeronline said. Night time temperatures around 0 and maximums no higher than 10 degrees are expected. Those planning to join the King’s Night activities on Wednesday better take a winter coat with them, the weather service said. “The good news is that the night will be dry, so the umbrella can stay at home.”

King’s Day itself will start out pretty icy, but the day will warm up a bit to higher temperatures than the first half of this week. In Rotterdam, where the King and his family will celebrate his birthday, maximums will climb to around 13 or 14 degrees.

The morning weather will be great for outdoor activities, with room for sunshine and little wind. Cloud cover will increase from the west as the morning progresses, but the north should still see the sun in the afternoon. “Are you going to sail on the Amsterdam canals or attend one of the many festivals? Then a thick sweater or extra jacket is not an excessive luxury,” Weeronline advised.

Some rain may fall in the west and south during the second half of the afternoon. But most places should only get rainfall in the evening or during the early hours of Friday morning.