Dutch New Year's to bring rotten weather; Only 27 hours of sunshine in gloomy December

The sun has shined for just 27 hours so far in December in the Netherlands. That is less than half of the average through December 26, which is approximately 58 hours, according to NOS. The situation is not likely to improve, with persistent rain, strong wind, and cloud cover expected on New Year’s Eve.

Every day through the end of the year carries a chance of sunshine of only about 10 percent, according to Dutch meteorological office KNMI. National data and records are based on the weather at any given moment in De Bilt, Utrecht. Located centrally in the Netherlands, the municipality has long been considered the country's meteorological average.

Friday kicked off with warnings for dense fog that reduced visibility below 200 meters. The relatively dry winter day was unlikely to rise above 4 or 5 degrees Celsius, with a slim possibility of low clouds breaking up in the southeast. It should remain cloudy and foggy on Saturday, with the cloud cover remaining through Monday as a slightly stronger southwesterly wind brings warmer temperatures.

The chance of stormy weather with stiff wind gusts and heavier rain will build on New Year's Eve. The day should start out dry, but will likely worsen, according to WeerOnline. Though the KNMI is predicting sustained inland winds peaking at 29 kilometers per hour, WeerOnline meteorologists believe this could be more powerful with strong gusts depending on the development of weather systems over the Atlantic Ocean headed towards the Netherlands.

"But for fireworks enthusiasts, the prospects look anything but favorable," the website stated. The KNMI noted the uncertainty, with heavy gusts possible along the North Sea coast on New Year's Day, making for a potentially unpleasant annual New Year's Dive at Scheveningen Beach in The Hague.

For those who have been in the Netherlands for most of December, it will likely be a disappointing end to the generally unpleasant weather this month. The sun did not come out once in De Bilt from December 9 to 19, marking 11 days without sun for the first time since 1990.

The 27 hours of sunshine observed so far will likely rise slightly, putting this December among the 20 gloomiest on record in the Netherlands. The sun peaked out for 14 hours in December 1911, and 16 hours during the same month in 1934, according to NOS. That marked the two darkest Decembers since record-keeping began in 1901. The broadcaster also noted the sun emerged for only 17 hours in December of 1988.

Cloud cover is normal in the Netherlands in December, with the sun emerging for only about 18 percent of daylight hours on average. Meteorologists at NOS said this is because the colder air means water vapor condenses into clouds more easily.

As the daylight period began getting longer again after the winter solstice last week, the average period of sunshine breaking through clearer skies rises to 26 percent in January, and 31 percent in February.

Nevertheless, New Year's Day will see a 70 percent chance of rain, and January 2 will carry an 80 percent chance of rain. Both days will be mostly cloudy, according to the KNMI. "Initially there is a high chance of a continuation of the mild, wet, cloudy and possibly stormy type of weather," the office predicted from January 3 onward.

A few days later, those in the Netherlands have a 50-50 chance of getting colder weather with overnight frost. The chance of snow will hold around 30 percent, but there will also be "more space for the sun."