Winter weather spreads: Code orange in Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland, Noord-Brabant

Many people in the Netherlands woke up Saturday morning to a wintry landscape as heavy snow continued across large parts of the country, prompting the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) to expand a code orange warning to Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland, and Noord-Brabant.

The warning had already been issued for Utrecht and Gelderland due to slippery roads and snowfall. KNMI said localized accumulations of 5 to 10 centimeters of snow are possible, with the warning in effect until 11 a.m. Saturday. For the rest of the country, a lower-level code yellow warning remains in effect throughout the weekend.

Weather service Weerplaza said there is a high chance of a thick layer of snow developing in parts of the Netherlands over the weekend, though it remains challenging to predict where the heaviest snowfall will occur.

Snow showers are moving in from the northwest, and in areas where they intensify—particularly in Utrecht, Gelderland, and northern Noord-Brabant—totals of 5 to 10 centimeters are possible. Elsewhere, intermittent snow showers could leave a covering of 1 to 3 centimeters, with some areas seeing 3 to 5 centimeters in the morning, Weerplaza said.