On March 2, 1987, Drenthe and the rest of the Northern Netherlands were hit by a real icy disaster. In 18 hours, 25 to 35 millimeters of rain fell, which, due to sub-zero temperatures, immediately froze and formed a centimeter-thick layer of ice over streets, trees and plants. The cold lasted until mid-March, disrupting the country for days.
The damage was enormous: high-voltage cables broke, leaving large parts of Drenthe without power. According to weatherman Klaas Karssen, 90 percent of the trees in Drenthe were damaged. Many animals also did not survive the extreme conditions. In total, the material damage amounted to approximately 85 million guilders.
Drenthe received an exceptional amount of snow in 2005. In Zweeloo, a snow cover of 59 centimeters was even measured on March 5. The cold air lingered over the North for a long time, meaning that the snow fun in Drenthe and Groningen lasted for weeks.
In other parts of the country, the November 25 snowstorm was the most memorable. That day is known as one of the darkest since measurements began. Heavy snow fell in the east, with more than 20 centimeters on the Veluwe and in Twente. The KNMI issued an updated weather alarm for the first time. Roads became completely clogged, public transport came to a standstill and fallen trees and power outages caused chaos. A wind gust of 173 kilometers per hour was measured in Hoek van Holland, one of the heaviest ever in the Netherlands.
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