After a week of grey skies and drizzle, the Netherlands can look forward to a rare day of sunshine on Saturday before the clouds return on Sunday, weather forecasters say.

Friday will stay mostly cloudy with a few light showers and daytime temperatures of around 15°, which is typical for mid-October. But by the evening the skies will clear, especially in the north and east, where temperatures could drop close to freezing overnight.

Saturday will bring dry and sunny weather across the country, with the best of the sunshine in the east and northeast early in the day. The southwest will brighten later in the afternoon.

Despite the clear skies, it will feel chilly. Afternoon temperatures will range from 11° in the northeast to 14° in the southwest, marking the first day since early May that temperatures have remained below 15° nationwide.

By Saturday night, temperatures will fall to between 5° and 8°. Cloud will increase again from the west in the early hours of Sunday, though the east should see a bright start.

Sunday will stay largely dry, but rain is expected to move in from the southwest during the evening, accompanied by a stronger coastal wind. Daytime temperatures will reach around 15°.

After the weekend, the weather is expected to turn wetter and windier. Daytime temperatures will remain mild at between 14° and 16°, with nights around 10°.