December will remain relatively mild until Friday, with temperatures well above the seasonal average, but the weather is set to turn much colder from Saturday, according to weather bureau Weeronline.

In the Christmas week, average daytime temperatures in the Netherlands are usually around 6°, with night-time temperatures close to freezing but the current forecasts suggest a 70% to 80% chance that it will be colder than average this year, Weeronline said.

On December 25 and 26, the temperatures is expected to fall further, with a light frost likely at night and daytime temperatures only a few degrees above zero.

Snow is unlikely on the official Christmas days, Weeronline said, but with low temperatures and some chance of precipitation, snowfall during the holidays cannot be ruled out.

The KNMI long-range forecast paints a similar picture, with a 70% chance of colder than average weather up to the end of the year.