Easter set to be coldest in 40 years

Friday 21 March 2008

With snow, frost and strong winds, this weekend is set to be the coldest Easter in 40 years, the KMNI weather bureau said on Friday.

Friday was officially the first day of spring.

On Saturday the forecast is for more snow and winds of up to force 7 in coastal areas. Overnight the temperature will dip close to freezing.

On Sunday more snow is expected, followed by a night frost. More snow is possible on Monday but there may also be some sunny spells.

The warmest Easter ever recorded was in 1949, when Easter fell on April 17 and the temperatures soared to nearly 25 degrees.

This Easter is also abnormally early. There will not be another Easter Sunday as early as March 23 until 2160, the KNMI said.

The Dutch tourist board said 750,000 visitors were expected this weekend, some 150,000 fewer than last year.

A number of traditional Easter events have also been cancelled because of the weather, such as the Assen races, news agency ANP said.

© DutchNews.nl

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