Busiest rush hour this year as snow starts to fall

Snow has started falling in the center and east of the Netherlands, contributing to the busiest morning rush hour so far this year, public works department Rijkswaterstaat said. At 8:30 a.m., the travelers' association ANWB reported 140 traffic jams covering 800 kilometers of Dutch roads. By 9:15 a.m., that decreased to 81 traffic jams covering 484 kilometers.

⚠ | Door een combinatie van sneeuw, regen en diverse grote incidenten noteren we vandaag de drukste ochtendspits sinds 2021. Met meer dan 400 kilometer aan files was het een zeer zware spits te noemen. Meer: https://t.co/rt9iKqCJ0b pic.twitter.com/G15wZlC30x

— Rijkswaterstaat Verkeersinformatie (@RWSverkeersinfo) March 31, 2022

A spokesperson for the ANWB told NOS that the traffic jams weren't the result of accidents caused by the winter weather. The delays are in the usual places. "Only they're longer because people are driving more carefully."

A snowstorm is set to hit the Netherlands sometime today. Meteorological institute KNMI warned that the cold weather could cause icy roads this morning already, issuing a code yellow warning for Gelderland.

Another code yellow warning for snow and icy roads takes effect from the north of the country from 4:00 p.m. It will cover the entire country, except for Limburg, by 10:00 p.m. "Chance of slippery conditions due to snowfall," the KNMI warned. "Adjust your driving behavior. Follow weather reports and warnings."