Weather office issues snow storm warning for the Netherlands

Dutch meteorological institute KNMI issued its first warning for the snowstorm expected to hit on Thursday. The snowfall is expected to cause dangerous conditions on the roads, prompting the warning.

Every province in the Netherlands was under a Code Yellow weather alert for Thursday, Friday, or both. The overnight period going into the early hours of Friday can lead to over 10 centimeters of snow in some areas, Weer.nl said earlier.

"From the beginning of Thursday afternoon, winter showers on the Wadden Islands can cause localized slippery conditions," the KNMI said in a statement. "Later in the afternoon, it can become slippery in the northeast due to snowfall. In the evening, snow and slippery conditions will spread across the rest of the country. In Limburg, this  will only happen around midnight."

Somewhat stronger winds are also expected, particularly along the coast. Wind gusts could reach up to 75 km/h in the northern coastal area, with sustained winds of up to 60 km/h in the western provinces and IJsselmeer area.

The low temperature should remain below freezing through the weekend, with Sunday's low predicted to fall to -4 degrees Celsius. The high temperature will range from 2-7 degrees on Thursday, 5-7 degrees on Friday, and 7-10 degrees during the weekend. "The maximums will gradually increase to values around normal, and the minimums to a few degrees above normal," the KNMI predicted.

Initial weather warning timeline

“Chance of slippery conditions due to snowfall,” the KNMI stated in its warning. “All road users may experience problems. Adjust your driving. Follow weather reports and warnings.”