VDe Vector

First official autumn frost recorded

Temperatures in De Bilt fell below zero after earlier local frost in the south.

The Netherlands has recorded its first official frost day of the autumn. In De Bilt, the official measuring point for national weather records, temperatures fell below zero.

The first official frost means that the minimum temperature in De Bilt fell below 0 degrees Celsius. Local frost had already been recorded in the south. For the official frost day, the temperature in De Bilt is decisive, not that in Noord-Brabant, Limburg or Zeeland.

According to Weeronline, the first official frost day in De Bilt falls around 8 November on average, calculated over the period 1996–2025. The current measurement therefore falls roughly around the long-term average.

The cold is arriving during a calm and predominantly dry weekend. Particularly at night and in the early morning, local icy conditions may develop as wet sections of road freeze. Road users and cyclists will therefore face a local risk that varies by region.

An official frost day says little about how the rest of the winter will unfold. It is a single measurement and not a forecast for December, January or February. Local differences also remain significant: sheltered areas and sandy soils cool more quickly than urban areas and places close to open water.

The first frost is nevertheless useful as part of a climate series. The date on which De Bilt first falls below zero varies greatly from year to year. The measurement confirms that autumn has now entered a colder phase, but in itself provides no indication of an exceptionally cold winter.

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