Icy roads trigger code yellow weather warning in almost all of Netherlands
Icy roads are causing hazardous driving conditions in almost all of the Netherlands on Monday morning. The meteorological institute KNMI issued a code yellow warning for the entire country except the Wadden Islands, urging road users to drive carefully.
“This morning, there are local slippery conditions across the country due to the freezing of wet road sections. The slipperiness is sometimes difficult to see and causes hindrance and danger to road traffic,” the KNMI said. Road users are urged to adjust their speed and maintain a safe following distance. The iciness should melt away by noon, the KNMI expects.
The Twente region is also experiencing foggy conditions. The KNMI issued a poor visibility warning for Overijssel for that reason. The fog should dissipate by around 10:00 a.m.
The Rijkswaterstaat also urged road users to drive extra carefully on Monday morning. By 7:40, the department already reported two accidents causing major delays. Two lanes were closed on the A15 between Hardinxveld-Giessendam and Gorinchem, causing delays of up to 80 minutes. And an accident on the A12 near Zevenaar had cars stuck for over 30 minutes. It is unclear whether the weather played a role in these crashes.
The ANWB expected an average morning rush hour. By 7:58 a.m., the travelers’ organization reported 116 traffic jams covering 647 kilometers of Dutch roads.
Train commuters heading toward Belgium should take note of a public transport strike in the country on Monday, NS reported. The regional trains to and from Antwerp via Roosendaal aren’t running today. The strike is also impacting some destinations for the EuroCity Direct and EuroCity trains. The Eurostar is largely unaffected.
The Netherlands is in for a partly sunny day, with a solid chance of sunshine in the morning and afternoon, according to the KNMI. Maximums will range between freezing in the southeast and 5 degrees Celsius in the northwest. The wind will be weak but could reach moderate strength on the coast.
