Slippery roads across Netherlands as snow sweeps in, drivers urged to exercise caution
The Netherlands is under a code yellow weather alert as a snow front moves from the southwest, bringing icy and hazardous road conditions through Monday morning. Rijkswaterstaat reported that 3,269 kilograms of salt were spread on major roads today, with additional salt trucks on standby to treat slippery sections. Drivers are being urged to slow down, keep extra distance from the vehicle in front, and stay alert while on the road.
Authorities warned that ice can be especially treacherous in cities and on major highways, and they advised motorists to watch carefully for unexpected slippery patches.
Train services are also affected, with limited service on lines between Amsterdam Centraal and Utrecht Centraal, and between Schiphol Airport and Utrecht due to emergency repairs, NS reports.
Other lines, such as those running through Rotterdam, Groningen, Heerlen, and Haarlem, are running fewer trains than usual, with buses used as replacements on some routes.
Travelers are urged to check the NS travel planner for updates and allow extra time for their journeys.
The snow is expected to reach Zeeland around 4 p.m. Sunday. South Holland, Noord-Brabant, and Limburg are forecasted to experience slippery roads from 6 p.m., according to the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI).
While most areas should see conditions improve overnight, northern provinces may face continued hazards. Friesland and Drenthe will remain under alert until 7 a.m. Monday, and Groningen until 9 a.m. KNMI predicts 2 to 5 centimeters of snow in many regions, with localized higher amounts possible.
