Busy evening rush hour expected as school holidays, Carnival kick off
The road users’ association ANWB expects a busy evening rush hour on Friday as the school holiday starts in the Zuid and Midden regions of the Netherlands and the Dutch start heading to winter sport destinations. Carnival also kicks off in the south of the country, so more car traffic than usual is expected in that direction.
According to the ANWB, the evening rush hour always starts earlier on a Friday, and the school holidays will add to that. Today, the road users’ association expects the first traffic jams to start early in the afternoon.
“ANWB expects long traffic jams on roads to winter sports areas this weekend,” the ANWB said. Saturday will be particularly busy towards popular ski resorts in Austria, France, and Germany. Dutch holidaymakers should also expect extra traffic in Northern Italy due to the Winter Olympics.
Carnival is also starting in the south of the country. Expect crowded streets and lots of festivities, but also go well prepared. Meteorologists’ forecasts include clouds, sunshine, drizzle, and even some snow in Noord-Brabant this weekend.
“We’re getting a winter weekend, so to speak,” Weerplaza weatherman Rico Schröder told Omroep Brabant. Maximums will climb no higher than 5 degrees Celsius, and quickly drop below freezing once the sun sets.
The Red Cross has warned Carnival attendees to keep an eye on one another and make sure to stay warm.
Throughout the country, the weekend will be cold and mostly cloudy, with occasional sunshine and occasional light rain or snow. Maximums will range between 2 and 5 degrees, and minimums will drop below zero in most places, according to Weeronline.
