After extreme drought, it started raining again today. But especially on the weekend there may be a lot of rain. A good time to collect rainwater, according to water boards. A rain barrel is not even necessary. “You can put out buckets, so to speak.”
Today, there will be “showers” mainly in the middle and north of the country, says meteorologist Floris Lafeber of Weerplaza to NU.nl.
On Friday, the whole of the Netherlands will have to deal with it. It will mainly be small showers then too. “Don’t expect too much from it, but they are showers that can get you wet,” Lafeber continues.
From Saturday afternoon, a rain area will move over the country from the west. That will be accompanied by a lot of wetness. Lafeber expects 10 to 20 millimeters of precipitation in total.
The amount of rain differs per location. For example, Lafeber expects at most 15 millimeters in the south. In the wettest places, 25 millimeters can fall. “That’s pretty wet,” says the meteorologist. In a few days, a third of the monthly average can fall, because on average 60 millimeters falls in May.
“This rain is very welcome for nature,” says Lafeber. It has been dry for a very long time. “March was the driest month ever measured and April was also dry,” adds spokeswoman Leanne de Goede of Hoogheemraadschap Hollands Noorderkwartier.
The rain that falls in the coming days will probably not directly end the drought. “If 10 or 15 millimeters fall, that only makes the grass wet for a while,” says Erna van Eerden of Waterschap Amstel, Gooi and Vecht. “It only stops being dry when a lot of rain really starts to fall.”
Waterschap Hoogheemraadschap Hollands Noorderkwartier has been actively retaining water for a week. Citizens can also do that, says De Goede. The best known example is of course a rain barrel, but a bucket also works.
“This call basically applies to all water boards all year round,” says Herald van Gerner of Waterschap Drents Overijsselse Delta. “If the water is gone, it’s gone and you won’t get it back.” That is why “holding on and saving for drier times” is always a good idea.
Not a drop in the ocean
“I can imagine that it seems like a drop in the ocean, but it isn’t,” Van Gerner continues. For example, an average rain barrel holds 250 liters. “And if those rain barrels are used throughout the country, it can mean a nice saving of water. Every drop counts.”
“We also say it in wet weather,” adds Niels Godron of Waterschap Noorderzijlvest. “When it is wet, you want the water to be able to infiltrate slowly and not flow into the sewer all at once.”