The Netherlands may have sleet or snow on Friday, and the chance is greatest in the north east, weather bureaus said on Thursday.

Weerplaza says that the snow, expected overnight, is most likely to cover central, eastern and north eastern parts of the country but will probably only stick in the far north east.

The KNMI also says snow is most likely in the north east, and that most of the country will be affected by heavy rain and wind.

The weekend will be a mixed bag of showers and sunny spells, with temperatures around 8 Celsius during the day.

For the long term, the KNMI expects more of the same, saying there is a 90% chance of similar, mild, weather over the Christmas period.