Bizarre mid-summer ground frost measured in Twente

Ground frost was measured near Oldenzaal in Twente during the the early hours of Tuesday morning. Temperatures dropped to -0.1 degrees there, Weeronline reported. “Ground frost in summer is rare, and in midsummer even unique,” said Weeronline meteorologist Rico Schröder.

This is the first time ever that ground frost has been recorded during the high summer period between July 20 and August 21. The period in which no ground frost has ever been measured has therefore become two days shorter.

According to Weeronline, ground frost is very rare in July. Since the beginning of ground temperature measurements in 1971, it has occurred only nine times in that month. The coldest temperature ever measured in the month was on July 4, 2019, also in Twente. On that night, temperatures dropped to -1.6 degrees Celsius. On July 1, 1984, thermometers recorded -1.5 degrees in Gilze Rijen, and -1.3 was measured in Twente on July 10, 2015.

Temperature measurements occur at approximately 10 centimeters above the ground at various measuring points across the country. The temperature only dropped below zero at the measuring point in Twente last night. “The ground remains cooler, especially on a clear night. In the rest of the country, there were various cloud fields,” a Weeronline meteorologist told ANP.

According to the Weeronline meteorologist, the bizarre midsummer night frost in Twente is due to the very dry weather in recent weeks. There is little moisture in the soil. During warm periods, the temperatures can drop significantly on clear nights, and dry sandy soils like those in Twente cool down particularly rapidly.