Winter will make a short return this weekend, with overnight temperatures dropping to as low as -5 Celsius on Friday night, weather forecasters say. Despite the chill, the weekend will be mainly sunny and bright.

On Thursday night there was a widespread light frost and it will be colder on Friday and Saturday, Weerplaza meteorologist Wouter van Bernebeek said. ‘It is clear and there is a northeasterly wind. In some places in the east of the country it could be -6 Celsius.’

Such temperatures are not usual for March but may seem so given the recent spring-like weather, Van Bernebeek said. Last month the temperature switched from -16 Celsius to +18 within a couple of days.

No rain is on the cards for the next few days, but by the middle of next week, more changeable weather will be on its way, according to Weeronline.nl. The temperature will rise to between 6 Celsius and 0 Celsius during the day, which is normal for the time of year.

The KNMI weather bureau paints a similar picture, but says the weekend frosts are likely to be very light.