It is increasingly likely that the Netherlands will be hit by snow and freezing conditions this weekend, weather forecasters say.

According to some forecasts, at least 20 centimetres of snow will fall in places from Saturday and the frost will last for several days.

‘We seldom get this sort of weather in the Netherlands,’ NOS weather forecaster Gerrit Hiemstra said. In the south of the country, however, rain is more likely than snow, and it will be considerably warmer, with a risk of black ice forming on the roads.

Weeronline says the snow will start on Saturday evening in the north of the country and continue well into Sunday, with as much as 30 centimetres falling in some places.

The KNMI weather bureau sees snow falling on Sunday and Monday, with temperatures remaining below freezing until next Thursday at least.

Weerplaza predicts 15 to 20 centimetres of snow and several days of hard frost, but, says weatherman Alfred Snoek, skating on natural ice may still be out of the question because of the unpredictability of the snow.

And there is no question of the fabled 200 kilometre Elfstedentocht skating race taking place. Even if the weather conditions allow it, the organisers have already ruled out it out because of the coronavirus regulations.