European Space Agency captures snow-covered Amsterdam from space

Much of the Netherlands is blanketed in snow following a cold snap this week. On Tuesday, the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2 satellite captured Amsterdam and its surrounding areas from nearly 800 kilometers above Earth, revealing the snow-covered capital from space.

The image clearly shows Amsterdam-Zuidoost, IJburg, the city center, Vondelpark, Amsterdam-Noord, Amstelveen, and Weesp. Smaller towns, including Landsmeer, Nigtevecht, and Nederhorst den Berg, are also visible.

“The canals, parks, and dense urban fabric of the city are clearly visible beneath the white covering,” the European Space Agency wrote, noting that the Amsterdam–Rijn Canal, the Vecht, the Amstel, the Gaasp, and Pampus Island stand out beneath the snow.

The sudden winter weather comes as many Europeans return to work and school after the holiday season. Meteorologists forecast continued snowfall across the Netherlands on Wednesday, with temperatures at or below freezing and snow showers persisting throughout the day. The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) has issued a code orange snowfall warning for most of the country, with up to 10 centimeters of snow expected in some regions.