Tropical temperatures expected in the Netherlands this weekend; free sunscreen at beaches

Tropical temperatures are expected in the Netherlands. This weekend it could be up to 30 degrees. At the beach and in the northern coastal region, the forecast is about 25 degrees.

The term “tropical” is used by meteorologists in the Netherlands when the temperature hits 30.0 degrees Celsius. If that happens in De Bilt, Utrecht, it is considered to be a tropical weather day for the entire country. The centrally-located city is home to the national meteorological office, and is considered an average weather point for the Netherlands.

Rijkswaterstaat has issued a heat protocol for Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. This applies to the provinces of Gelderland, Utrecht, Noord- and Zuid-Holland, Zeeland, Noord- Brabant, and Limburg. The national weather institute KNMI expects temperatures of 30 degrees or higher in these provinces.

Road users who break down on the side of the road will be helped immediately based on the heat protocol. They will be taken as quickly as possible to a place with facilities, such as a gas station. "There you can seek shade and there is water and other facilities," Rijkswaterstaat says. Rijkswaterstaat also advises road users to carry enough drinking water and to use an umbrella while waiting.

Furthermore, expert Jaco van Wezel from Weeronline advises to not leave children and animals for too long in the car. “With the very hot and sunny weather we are experiencing, a stationary car can turn into a baking oven in a short time. This is dangerous for humans and animals. So do not leave children and animals in the car, not even for a few minutes.”

In general, there will be more public transportation leading to Dutch beaches. For instance, there will be more trains between Haarlem and Zandvoort. The Hague transport company HTM will use the so-called Strandexpress, a tram that runs to Scheveningen in addition to the normal schedule, this weekend. From Rotterdam, additional subways run to the beach of Hoek van Holland.

Furthermore, several municipalities have set up stands with free sunscreen on beaches and in recreational areas this year to protect their residents from sunburn. This weekend, temperatures could reach around 30 degrees, especially in the southeast of the country. Sun intensity could also be high in the coming days and weekends.

According to KNMI, UV radiation increases with the position of the sun and varies depending on the season and time of day. Over the weekend, the sun is expected to be between 6 and 7 (on a scale of 0 to 10). At sun strength 7 and without sunscreen, you can get sunburned after just 10 minutes in the sun. However, if the forecast is 3 and in the case of cloudy skies, the risk of sunburn is lower.