King’s Night revellers are being warned to make sure they wrap up warmly on Tuesday evening, as the temperature is set to go down to as low as 2 degrees.

The traditional pre-King’s Day party night could see 20 to 30 cm of sleet falling in northern parts, and coastal areas will be battered by strong north westerly winds, weather bureau KNMI said.

King’s Day itself will be cold, wet and windy, with the possibility of sleet and hail. Although it will be around 8 degrees, it will feel much colder, and could be the coldest King or Queen’s Day on record, weather forecasters say.

The dismal forecasts have led some event organisers to try to order last minute marquees and throw-away rainwear, broadcaster Nos said on Monday afternoon.

Mulled wine

EA Events, which is organising the Kingsland festival in Groningen, has two large marquees where party-goers can escape from the rain but they were organised in good time. ‘If you are holding a party at the end April, you need to take the weather into account,’ a spokesman said.

The organisers of Loveland in Amsterdam have managed to book tents, as has Oranjebitter in Rotterdam. Oranjebitter is also planning to sell mulled wine and hand out winter hats.

Partygoers at the Oranjebloesem festival at Amsterdam’s Blijburg beach will be able to walk on wooden floors rather than sand and 10,000 waterproof ponchos have been ordered to hand out to the crowd.

Accidents

Sleet and hail in the north of the country on Monday caused a number of accidents and led to parts of the A32 being closed for a time because of the slippery conditions.

En de afzetting en berging op de #A32 bij #Grou zijn er nog altijd (16:25u). Bijzondere hoeveelheid #hagel gevallen. pic.twitter.com/VDuWEpxSEx

— Team Verkeer NN (@Teamverkeer_NN) April 25, 2016