Bitter cold, snow, ice to grip Noord‑Nederland and spread across country this weekend
Northern Netherlands will continue to face icy conditions Saturday afternoon, with temperatures remaining below freezing and travel disruptions persisting across the region, weeronline reports.
In Groningen and Friesland, the weather will stay mostly dry with occasional sunny periods in the north, while clouds will gradually increase in the south. Temperatures in the afternoon are expected to reach between -1 and -3 degrees in most areas, with wind making it feel closer to -8 to -11 degrees. On the Wadden Islands, temperatures will hover around the freezing point.
Looking ahead, the KNMI has lowered its alert from code orange to code yellow for the northern provinces, warning of locally slippery roads due to residual snow and frozen surfaces. Overnight temperatures will drop sharply, with moderate to severe frost in the east and northeast, reaching -9 to -13 degrees.
Sunday morning will be sunny but bitterly cold, with widespread frost and a southeast wind that will increase the chill. From Sunday evening into Monday morning, icy patches may form from freezing rain, making roads hazardous.
The cold weather will keep public transport under pressure. Train services in Groningen and Friesland remain suspended or delayed due to broken trains and switch failures. Between Groningen and Veendam, delays will continue until early afternoon.
Trains between Groningen and Eemshaven, Groningen and Delfzijl, and Zwolle and Groningen are not expected to run until at least the start of the afternoon. In Friesland, trains between Sneek and Stavoren will also remain halted. ProRail is deploying multiple repair crews to resolve switch issues.
Bus services are limited. Qbuzz has announced buses in Groningen will not operate until 3:00 p.m., and in Friesland until at least 1:00 p.m., due to unsafe and unpredictable road conditions.
In Drenthe, buses will continue running, but delays and disruptions are expected. Buses are operating on Vlieland, Terschelling, and Schiermonnikoog in the Wadden Islands, and we will announce a decision for Ameland later.
Road closures persist in Groningen. The N33 and N46 have been closed since Friday evening due to snow and wind-driven snowdrifts. The N46 is expected to reopen around noon, while the N33's reopening remains uncertain. Some drivers have become stuck, complicating snow and ice removal. Other northern roads are slippery, including the N50 near Ens and the A7 near Joure, where ice-clearing machines such as Lavastorm are active.
Indoor facilities are reopening cautiously after heavy snow. Most sports locations in Tilburg will resume activities on Saturday, though the Ireen Wüst Ice Rink and Reeshof Swimming Pool remain closed. Municipalities continue monitoring roof safety following previous collapses in Tilburg and Utrecht.
