Drenthe wakes up today under a thick layer of snow. This produces beautiful pictures and snow fun, but the weather conditions are so intense this day that the KNMI has declared code orange for the northern provinces.
The reason for this warning is today’s heavy snowfall with strong winds. The wind can blow up to force 7. This combination can cause poor visibility on the roads and there is a chance of snow dunes up to a meter high.
Rijkswaterstaat therefore recommended yesterday not to go on the road in the Northern Netherlands today. The Drenthe safety region also calls on you, in the context of solidarity, to look out for the people in your neighborhood.
In the north of the province it will most likely continue to snow all day, but in the south the rain will also change to snow. And according to RTV Drenthe weatherman Hans Nienhuis, that brings another danger. “The rain falls on the snow layer on flat roofs, but cannot escape. That is why the snow pressure on such roofs can become high.”
Public transport is also affected by the winter weather. Qbuzz does not run at all in the morning. During the morning, the bus operator will check whether it is possible to hit the road after 9 a.m.
NS operates according to the winter regulations. This means that only sprinters drive between Groningen and Zwolle.
Many school and sports buildings will not open today either. NassauVincent has indicated that it will not open, just like CKC Drenthe, which includes several primary schools and childcare locations. In some cases, education continues online.
There are also municipalities that will close gyms and swimming pools this weekend due to the weather. The municipalities of Emmen, Aa and Hunze and Assen will keep these accommodations closed until Monday afternoon. One of the reasons given by the municipality of Assen is ‘unsafe conditions in and around buildings’.