The icy conditions which have hit the north hard over the past few says will ease over the weekend as temperatures rise sharply across much of the Netherlands, weather bureau Weeronline said on Friday.

There will still be problems with black ice in the northern provinces on Friday but by Saturday and Sunday there will no longer be a widespread risk of icy roads, Weeronline said.

Temperatures will be significantly higher, reaching 9° to 12° in the south, 8° to 10° in central regions and between 2° and 6° in the north.

Saturday will bring a marked contrast across the country. The north will start the day with low cloud and possible fog, keeping temperatures around 3°. Where the fog clears, it may reach 5° to 8°.

In the south and central parts of the country, the sun will appear regularly and it will feel almost spring-like, with temperatures between 8° and 13°. It will remain dry for most of the day, although local showers may develop in the southwest on Saturday evening.

Sunday itself will be mostly dry, with a mix of cloud and brief sunny spells. The north may stay grey all day, with temperatures of 2° to 5°, while the south again enjoys milder conditions of 9° to 11°.

The KNMI’s long-term forecast sees little change after the weekend, but rain is more likely towards the end of next week.