Code yellow warning for icy roads this afternoon as season's first snow approaches

The season’s first snowfall is expected to arrive in the Netherlands this afternoon. The meteorological institute KNMI issued a code yellow warning for a large part of the country, urging road users to beware of icy and slippery roads.

The snow will reach the east first in the early afternoon, followed by the north and center of the country, and then the southeast in the evening. The KNMI doesn’t expect snow cover to form immediately, but this could start happening in some places from the end of the afternoon. “That is especially the case in the east of the country, where snow cover of several centimeters may form,” the KNMI said. “Traffic, in particular, may be affected by snowfall.”

The warning first takes effect in Overijssel and Gelderland at noon, followed by Friesland, Groningen, Drenthe, and Flevoland at 3:00 p.m., Utrecht at 6:00 p.m., Noord-Brabant at 8:00 p.m., and Limburg at 10:00 p.m.

The snow will leave the country overnight. “With the exception of the west, there is a chance of slippery conditions due to the freezing of road sections and remaining snow,” the KNMI said. A code yellow warning applies to the same provinces as above for Tuesday morning. “The slipperiness will disappear in most places by mid-Tuesday morning.”

The Rijkswaterstaat reported that Monday morning’s rush hour was quite busy due to showers. Monday evening will likely also be crowded on the roads. Drive slowly and maintain a safe following distance, the KNMI urged road users.

The weather does not seem to have much of an impact on the Dutch airports as yet. By 9:00 a.m., Schiphol Airport reported nine delayed and nine canceled departures on its website, as well as 22 delayed and ten canceled arrivals. Eindhoven Airport, the Netherlands’ second largest airport, reported no issues.

Monday will be cold in the Netherlands, with afternoon temperatures ranging from just above freezing in areas with snow to around 8 degrees in the southwest. The wind comes from various directions and will be moderate inland and strong on the coast.

The week will see occasional sunshine breaking through regular showers with hail or wet snow, especially inland. “With maximum temperatures of 2 to 5 degrees Celsius and light frost at night, temperatures are below the climatological average,” the KNMI said.

The meteorological institute expects to issue code yellow warnings for icy roads often this week, especially on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.