Netherlands shivers overnight: -11.5 near Groningen, Drenthe felt like -15

Severe cold held much of the Netherlands in its grip Sunday night when the temperatures dropped to minus 11.5 degrees in some parts of the country, with bitter wind chills and hazardous conditions persisting as a nationwide code yellow warning for cold and slipperiness remained in effect.

The lowest temperature was measured around 7:30 a.m. in Eelde, near Groningen, at minus 11.5 degrees Celsius, and meteorologists said temperatures could continue to fall until about 8:30 a.m. The cold was most pronounced in the north and east. Enschede recorded minus 11 degrees, while Hoogeveen reached minus 10.9. At the KNMI station in De Bilt, the temperature dropped to minus 9.6.

The least severe frost was recorded in Zeeland and on the Wadden Islands, where temperatures were around minus 2 degrees.

Wind chill values pushed the perceived cold even lower. In Drenthe, the felt temperature dropped to minus 14.9, the lowest recorded. Groningen saw a wind chill of minus 13.1, while areas along the German border in Overijssel recorded minus 13.7. Forecasts indicated that in parts of the north and east, the perceived temperature locally fell below minus 15 degrees.

According to Weerplaza, temperatures of minus 10 degrees or lower qualify as “severe frost,” a condition that has become increasingly rare in the Netherlands. When it does occur, it is far more common in the east and northeast than along the coast, where the sea moderates temperatures.

On average, severe frost occurs two to three nights per year in the east, compared with about once every five years in the west. Earlier this week, severe frost was also recorded in the Betuwe and central Noord-Brabant, just above freshly fallen snow.

Forecasters said a rain system will move in from the west late Sunday evening and continue overnight into Monday. In the eastern half of the country, freezing rain could make roads treacherous. Inland areas may see about 1 centimeter of snow, and icy conditions could persist for several hours.

Temperatures are expected to rise Monday morning, easing the cold and clearing icy roads.