Time to put on the ice skates this weekend

In more and more places in the Netherlands, ice skating is going to be a possibility this weekend. Nevertheless, weather services warn that the quality of the ice can differ depending on the location.

Freezing temperatures overnight are predicted to increase the ice density up to 12 to 15 centimeters on the weekend, but there are areas where the ice will only be 4 to 6 cm thick, Weeronline warns. "Ice of 4-6 centimeters may look safe initially, but an unexpected fall or multiple people may still break it."

A list of open skating spots can be found here.

Amsterdam residents looking forward to skate on the canals may be disappointed, according to the weather service. Ice is forming, but the coming nights will have to be perfect for the ice to grow thick enough for skating. Weeronline suggests instead going to places like the Vondelpark to skate, where some iced-over water will be shallower.

At the same time, the Vondelpark has been one of the more popular locations in Amsterdam during the lockdown, and an area which may be subject to crowd control if local authorities believe visitors are no longer able to keep a safe physical distance from each other.

On Monday, warm air from the southwest is expected to bring milder temperatures which could lead to thawing. By Tuesday, it will become more difficult to find locations for skating where the ice is thick enough for the activity.