Dutch issue Code Red weather alert for snowdrifts, blizzard conditions
The Dutch Meteorological Institute KNMI has issued a code red weather alert for Sunday due to expected heavy snowfall and strong winds.
On Saturday, snow is expected in the southern and south-eastern parts of the country. Over the course of the following day, the snow will spread to the rest of the country. The expectation is that a layer of white will remain in many places. In parts of the country, even between 10 and 20 centimeters of snow is expected on Sunday.
In addition, the KNMI warns of strong easterly winds that can cause snowdrifts, which can result in dangerous traffic situations. Moreover, visibility on the roads will be poor due to the snowfall.
“The roads can become very slippery across almost the entire country,” warned travel association ANWB shortly after the Code Red alert was issued. “The ANWB advises NOT to use roadways on Sunday if it is not strictly necessary.
”Dutch infrastructure agency Rijkswaterstaat also said that heavy snow overnight and on Sunday, mixed with strong winds, will likely create “very dangerous driving conditions”. It said all driving trips should be postponed during the adverse weather, and stated that anyone who absolutely must get behind the wheel should keep their distance, limit lane changes, and not brake very abruptly.
Few flights were preemptively canceled at Schiphol Airport, but national railway operator NS said it would run its winter schedule over the weekend. That reduces train services by 20 percent to make their operations more reliable during inclement weather. Anyone traveling by rail domestically or internationally was advised to check the status of their train online before going to a station.
There is a chance that there will be a snowstorm. This is the case when temperatures of -15 degrees Celsius are measured during snowfall. In 2010, the Netherlands experienced its last snowstorm.
