Netherlands sees mild Wednesday as temperatures rise after last week’s snow
The Netherlands is expected to see mild winter weather on Wednesday, with temperatures remaining well above freezing across most regions after last week’s snow and severe cold.
According to the national Weeronline forecast issued early Wednesday morning, conditions through the day will be relatively soft for mid-January. Afternoon highs are expected to range from about 5 degrees in the northwest to around 9 degrees in the southeast. Clouds and sunshine will alternate, and periods of rain will affect parts of the country.
Rain early Wednesday will mainly fall over the eastern half of the country before quickly moving east into Germany. Most regions are expected to turn dry afterward, although Limburg will continue to see rain for a longer period. After the rain clears, sunny intervals are expected, though cloud cover will persist at times. Winds will be weak to moderate from the west.
After sunset, temperatures in the northeast are forecast to fall quickly toward the freezing point, creating a risk of icy conditions on wet roads during the evening rush hour. In central areas, evening temperatures are expected to remain around 3 degrees, while the south will stay much milder at roughly 7 degrees. Overnight, temperatures are forecast to rise again nationwide, with scattered showers and a chance of fog, especially in northern areas.
The mild conditions mark a sharp contrast with last week, when snow and severe cold affected much of the country. The impact of last week’s winter weather is still being felt on the rail network. Dutch national railway NS said Tuesday it will need about a week to clear a maintenance backlog caused by the snow and cold, which made it “virtually impossible” to move trains to maintenance facilities. During the cold snap, many railway switches were locked to reduce the risk of failures, while others malfunctioned or were covered in snow, leaving some switches set in the wrong direction.
As a result, about 700 train carriages are awaiting maintenance and repairs this week, compared with a typical weekly total of roughly 400. NS said some trains are now in a more vulnerable condition and are breaking down more frequently, with reported problems including frozen entry steps and heating malfunctions. Trains showing active defects will be prioritized for repair, and engineers are working around the clock to address the backlog.
For Wednesday, NS expects continued service limitations similar to those in place Tuesday. Fewer trains will operate on several key routes, with Intercity services reduced from six trains per hour to four on routes including Schiphol–Utrecht–Nijmegen, Amsterdam Zuid–The Hague, Amsterdam–Alkmaar, Zwolle–Assen–Groningen, and The Hague–Gouda Goverwelle. Other routes affected earlier in the week include Amersfoort–Barneveld and Almelo–Hardenberg. NS has not specified whether restrictions will change later in the week.
In addition, infrastructure manager ProRail has scheduled multiple works affecting rail traffic. No trains will run between Den Helder and Heerhugowaard from Monday, January 19, through Sunday, Feb. 1, due to planned works, ProRail said in an update released Tuesday. Other ongoing or short-term works and material shortages are causing reduced Intercity or Sprinter services and extra travel times of up to 15 minutes on several routes, including Schiphol–Utrecht–Nijmegen, Amsterdam Zuid–The Hague, Amsterdam–Alkmaar, Zwolle–Assen–Groningen, and The Hague–Gouda Goverwelle. These disruptions were announced Tuesday.
Weather conditions are expected to remain soft on Thursday, with mostly gray skies, occasional rain in the west and highs between 8 and 11 degrees, before gradually turning drier and sunnier later in the week as winds shift east.
