Heat in North Holland: ice cream at Schiphol, more drinking in care centers and different opening hours

Temperatures will rise above 30 degrees throughout the province today. Tomorrow it will be a little bit more and it will be about 36 degrees. Very warm, but according to weatherman Jan Visser not exceptional. “In 2019 it was also so warm in July. Then it was 36.7 degrees in Wijk aan Zee”, he puts the heat into perspective.

Still, the province is preparing for this heat. This is how the GGD Zaanstreek-Waterland fits the opening hours at. Testing for the coronavirus is possible today and tomorrow from 9:00 to 12:00 and vaccination is only possible on Tuesdays between 10:30 and 14:00.

Ice creams in queue at Schiphol

Travelers at Schiphol have to wait about two hours before they go through security and part of that line goes outside. The airport therefore hands out extra bottles of water to travelers and there are also ice creams. “In addition, we try to have everyone wait outside under the canopy,” says an airport spokesperson. He did not yet know which ice creams will be distributed.

There is air conditioning at the airport itself and the blinds are lowered. Nevertheless, the temperature in the terminals can rise. “We therefore ask travelers to dress lightly and to bring extra water.”

Water cars

Not only travelers can suffer from the heat. It is also hot for airplanes. For example, the temperature of the taxiways can rise above 50 degrees; too hot to drive over. Special water cars cool the asphalt.

The temperature of the asphalt is special sensors in the ground measured. These measuring systems are used in the winter to check how slippery the asphalt is, and in the summer they can keep track of how hot the runways are.

Curious about how taxiways are cooled? During the heat wave of 2019, NH Nieuws made the video below. Text continues after the video

The elderly and people with vulnerable health are also considered with this heat, such as at WilgaerdenLeekerweideGroep in Wognum. “Getting enough fluids in when it’s hot is very important, especially for the elderly who are vulnerable and often suffer from a reduced thirst. For example, water jugs are placed, we hand out cold washcloths and they can paddle together,” says spokesperson Eva Herder.

The Dijklander Hospital in Hoorn and Purmerend does not foresee any problems with the predicted heat. “It is always cool here. I am now even wearing a vest,” says spokesperson Marjolein Beijne with a laugh. “We have cooling ceilings in the hospital.”

Rescue brigades on alert

The rescue brigades of our province be on alert the next few days. For example, first aid supplies have been checked again and it is checked whether people can jump in.

The rescue brigades expect great crowds today and tomorrow: “We have actually not had any real beach days this season. The weather has been nice, but not yet great days,” said Ernst Brokmeier, spokesman for the Zandvoort Rescue Brigade yesterday.

According to Brokmeier, the water is also monitored extra closely. The last few days it has been blowing hard, which can create a treacherous current and there are many potholes in the sea. “We pay extra attention to that. The wind is going down now and we have to estimate the dangers per day.”

Cooler again from Wednesday

The heat does not last long. From Wednesday the temperatures will be back to what we are used to. “Then it will be about 22 degrees and it will remain that way for the rest of the week,” says Visser.