Icy roads warning and salt trucks: Cold weekend ahead for the Netherlands
After an icy Friday, with a code yellow warning for slippery roads covering most of the country, the weekend in the Netherlands will also hold below-average temperatures. Saturday will be cold, but dry with regular sunshine. Sunday will also be cold, with showers and possible snow, according to Weeronline’s forecast.
The KNMI issued an icy roads warning for everywhere except the Wadden Islands and the three southern provinces. “Slippery conditions are particularly prevalent at sensitive areas like bridges and viaducts. In northern Groningen and Friesland, winter showers with hail or sleet are possible,” the meteorological institute said. Road users are urged to drive carefully and maintain a safe following distance. The ice should melt away by mid-morning.
Salt trucks drove over 20,600 kilometers overnight, spreading more than 1.18 million kilograms of salt along Dutch roads. Surface temperatures fell below -2 degrees Celsius in some parts of the Netherlands, with the coldest temperatures recorded in the north and east of the country, according to infrastructure agency Rijkswaterstaat.
While the northern parts of the country may face some wintry showers on Friday, the rest of the Netherlands should remain dry with a mix of clouds and sunshine. Maximums will climb to between 3 and 6 degrees Celsius with little to no wind.
Saturday morning may see a few more showers in the north, but these will clear by the start of the afternoon, leaving most areas dry for the day. There will be regular sunny periods, with a moderate southerly wind that may be stronger at the coast.
“Temperatures of 2 to 6 degrees Celsius will be cold for this time of year, but combined with some sunshine, it will be perfect for spending time outdoors,” Weeronline meteorologist Vera Buis said.
Sunday will look completely different, with frost on the inland ground in the morning and some wet snow in the west. Cloud cover will soon increase across the country, bringing with it rain and wet snow. “In the east, northeast, and higher parts of the country, snow may linger for a while, but the chance of a truly snow-capped landscape is small,” Buis said.
It will be a cold day, with maximums around 2 degrees in the east and 4 degrees in the west. A moderate to strong southerly to southwesterly wind will make it feel even colder.
After the weekend, temperatures will climb slightly, with maximums between 5 and 7 degrees. The chance of night frost will also decrease slightly.
