Today, Drenthe is still suffering from the heavy snow that fell yesterday. This provides a lot of fun in the snow, but there is also a risk of accidents. Due to these weather conditions, code yellow remains in force today.
Our RTV Drenthe weatherman Roland van der Zwaag also predicts slippery conditions and light snowfall. “On Saturday, a northeasterly wind will continue to bring in ice-cold and dry air. From that angle the sun will break through everywhere in Drenthe. It will remain below zero in the vast majority of places all day long, with the highest values in the afternoon around -3 degrees.”
A ‘treacherous’ situation
Due to the freezing cold that also prevailed last night, wet roads have frozen again. Together with the fallen snow, it is difficult to estimate the slipperiness today. That is why the KNMI speaks of a ‘treacherous’ situation.
Slippery warnings will remain in effect all weekend. In Groningen, Friesland and the Wadden Islands, code orange will apply until 9 a.m. tomorrow morning due to major inconvenience caused by drifting snow. Although the KNMI no longer warns of gusts of wind and poor visibility, the weather institute advises against going on the road in Drenthe.
In terms of road safety, things seem to be improving next week. The KNMI predicts that snow and possibly localized sleet will continue to fall during the night from Sunday to Monday. But then temperatures rise and the slipperiness gradually disappears.
Due to the freezing cold, Rijkswaterstaat announces a so-called cold protocol, which was activated last night at 6 p.m. It is then assumed that the perceived temperature is -15 degrees or lower.
“When it is so cold, it is irresponsible for people who are unlucky, for example, to stand still along the road for a long time,” says Liselot van der Klift of Rijkswaterstaat. Road users who are stranded today will therefore be taken to a ‘safe location’ such as a gas station as quickly as possible. Rijkswaterstaat also advises you to be well prepared and with sufficient food and drinks, and to take a warm blanket or jacket with you.
While road users are still advised to stay at home, bus transport is slowly starting up again. Qbuzz expects to be able to start a number of bus rides in Drenthe again this morning.
However, travelers must take disruptions into account “because the weather is not limited to provincial borders”. Because due to code orange, the buses in Groningen and Friesland will still be kept indoors this morning.
The carrier indicates that it will continue to monitor local weather conditions throughout the day in order to continually determine whether it is still responsible and safe to hit the road.
Qbuzz will use inspection drives based on the experiences of its drivers. “The safety of our employees and travelers comes first,” said Qbuzz.
NS will also continue to operate under the winter scheme this weekend. This means that there is only a sprinter running every half hour between Groningen and Zwolle.