The Netherlands is on target to equal the 2014 record for the warmest ever year, weather forecaster Weeronline said on Sunday.

With 10 days to go before the end of the year, the average temperature at the main Dutch weather station in De Bilt near Hilversum is likely to be 11.7 Celsius, equalling the record of six years ago, Weeronline said.

The average annual temperature over the past 30 years was 10.6 degrees.

This year May and June were cooler than average but the other 10 months have been warmer. In particular, the average temperature in January and February was three degrees Celsius above the long-term average.

The coldest day of the year was March 25 when the temperature fell to -4.3 Celsius in De Bilt. This is still not cold enough to be classed as a ‘moderate frost’ and the -5 Celsius trigger has not been reached for almost 700 days, Weeronline said.

This is unlikely to change in the coming weeks. Although it will be slightly colder in the coming days, with a slight chance of a dusting of snow in Limburg, the long range forecast is for is for more of the same changeable weather well into January.