The grey, wet weather is set to continue well into next week, with only a little sunshine expected on Friday, according to the latest forecast from weather bureau KNMI.

It will also be very windy on Thursday with wind speeds of up to 80 kph in coastal regions.

Temperatures will remain mild for the time of year, at around 11° during the day and between 4° and 7° at night. But there will be rain every day and this will continue well into January, the KNMI said. The likelihood of more wintry weather from January 3 onwards is only 20% to 30%.

There have only been eight “white Christmases” in the Netherlands since 1901 when records began and they are becoming increasingly unlikely as global temperatures rise, weather forecasters say.

There is no official definition of a white Christmas, according to the World Meteorological Organisation. In the Netherlands, a white Christmas is defined as a day in which there is complete snow cover at the De Bilt weather station near Hilversum.