The national weather centre reports that 2009 was another warm year in the Netherlands. The centre measured an average temperature of 10.5 degrees, 0.7 degrees higher than normal. What’s more, with more than 300 hours of sunshine above the average, 2009 counts as one of the sunniest years in the Netherlands since records began in 1901.

The warm weather in 2009 continues a trend that started more than a decade ago. Dutch temperatures have been well above average since 1997.

Despite the generally balmy weather, December has seen some freezing conditions, with the temperature dipping to a low of –18 degrees Celsius. And more icy weather is forecast for the New Year. The national weather centre reports a 70 percent chance of “extremely cold weather”.

Forecasts of wintry weather are always a cause for excitement in a country where skating weather can virtually bring the country to a halt. As canals and lakes freeze, the Dutch sharpen up their skates and head out en masse into the frozen countryside. And there is inevitably talk of the possibility of the country’s most popular sporting event being held again – the Eleven Cities Tour. At nearly 200 kilometres, the tour round the northern province of Friesland is the world’s longest skating race.

However, the tour has not been held since 1997, the start of the warm spell that continued in 2009. With the Netherlands presently on a boundary between a cold front above Scandinavia and warm air from the southeast, the Dutch will be keeping a close eye on the weather forecasts in the coming weeks for signs of a big freeze.

Summer in Amsterdam (Flickr / Erik B)

Skating (Flickr / zwolle)