More snowfall, icy weather tomorrow; -10.2°C in Utrecht village overnight

Temperatures dropped to -10.2 degrees Celsius in the Utrecht village of Cabauw overnight, marking the first severe frost of the season and the first time temperatures dropped below -10 degrees since January 2024, Weeronline reported. The icy cold weather will stick around for some time yet, with new snowfall expected tomorrow.

Currently, a Code Yellow weather warning is in effect everywhere in the country for snow and icy conditions. The warning is expected to remain in place until 9 a.m. on Thursday, according to the national meteorological office KNMI.

Up to 7 centimeters of snow is likely to accumulate on Wednesday, but possibly more in some areas. Snow will begin to fall during the overnight hours and worsen during the morning, beginning in the west of the Netherlands, the KNMI said. “This will cause traffic disruptions, especially during the morning rush hour.”

The day will be cold, with temperatures between 0 and -2 degrees Celsius in most places around 8:00 a.m., and a moderate to strong wind will blow from the south. Weeronline expects the wind chill to be between -5 and -10 degrees Celsius on Wednesday morning. “The wind can also cause the snow to drift, which can form snowdrifts, causing additional traffic disruption,” the weather service said.

Periods of precipitation, including snow, will continue on Wednesday afternoon and evening, with the heaviest snowfall expected to hit the inland regions. Afternoon temperatures will range between freezing in the east and 3 degrees Celsius in the west.

On Thursday, a new area of winter showers will move in from the southwest, bringing rain, but also snow, inland. The forecast for Friday is still uncertain. Weeronline expects more precipitation, but can’t yet say whether this will fall in the form of fresh snow or rain.

A high chance of precipitation is expected every day through Monday, but whether that will be snow, sleet or freezing rain remains to be seen, the KNMI said. Overnight lows should fall to an average of about -6 degrees as Sunday gets underway, with a wide range of daytime highs possible, depending on how the situation develops. "From Monday onwards, it will likely be considerably milder," the KNMI said.

But there remains a 20 percent chance that the cold snap continues next week, with variable conditions remaining.