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Code Orange Snow and Ice Snarl Dutch Morning Commute as Utrecht Told to Avoid Roads

Rijkswaterstaat calls it the busiest morning since 2024, with plows trapped in queues as further snow keeps roads risky for days.

Overview

  • KNMI issues code orange this morning for Utrecht, North and South Holland, Flevoland, Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe, with code yellow elsewhere for widespread slipperiness.
  • Nationwide congestion reaches roughly 690 kilometres after early totals above 500 kilometres, far exceeding a typical morning for this hour, according to Rijkswaterstaat.
  • Multiple crashes are reported on slick roads, including a truck accident that closed the A27 near Nieuwegein and additional slide‑offs across northern and western provinces.
  • Public transport is curtailed: U‑OV buses in Utrecht are suspended until at least noon, other bus operators warn of cancellations, and NS reports delays from switch failures.
  • Road crews spread about four million kilos of salt overnight, yet gritters are hampered by gridlock, and forecasts point to new snow bursts and repeated night freezes prolonging hazards.