Summer is set to return in September following a spell of cooler, wetter weather as the country goes back to work.

Daytime temperatures fell below 20 degrees at the weekend and many places experienced heavy rain, wind and thunderstorms, ending weeks of drought and tropical conditions.

Lighter showers and cloudy skies are expected to dominate the start of the week, with temperatures of around 20 to 22 degrees, according to online weather bureau weeronline. However, the weekend will see the return of sunny days and up to 25 degrees in places.

Two weeks ago prime minister Mark Rutte warned that the country needed several months of ‘old-fashioned Dutch weather’ to make up for the acute shortage of rainfall over the summer.

This July was the driest and sunniest on record and two official heatwaves were declared in De Bilt between July 15 and August 7, lasting a total of 23 days with a peak temperature of 35.7 degrees.