Dutch Winter Blues: The Country's Forgotten Snow-Fighting Skills
A week of severe winter weather has left the Netherlands reeling, with over 2,000 flights cancelled, roads and railways crippled by snow, buildings partially collapsing, and cyclists fuming about the state of bike lanes. As the country struggles to cope with the unusual cold snap, many are wondering if the Dutch have forgotten how to handle snow.
With temperatures plummeting to -10°C (14°F) including wind chill, the usually mild Dutch climate has been pushed to its limits. According to the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), snow is becoming increasingly rare as the climate crisis takes hold. In 1961, there was snow cover on average 23 days a year; now it's just three.
"It's not only my frustration," says Wiebe Wieling, former chair of the Elfstedentocht Association. "It's a Dutch frustration. It's a climate frustration." Wieling is calling for the country to adapt its infrastructure to cope with the new normal of fewer and shorter snow seasons.
Cyclists are also feeling the pinch, with reports of bike lanes being poorly maintained during snowy conditions. Marjolein van Dillen, a volunteer with Fietsersbond, told Dutch media that bike lanes were in such disrepair that cyclists "really don't dare to get on their bikes." The lack of investment in winter infrastructure is leaving many wondering if the country has lost its grip on managing snow.
The economic cost of this failure will come later, says Rico Luman, a senior economist at ING. "Ice days have come down from 10 to three on average a year," he notes. "It's simply not worth it to invest massively in all those contingency elements to avoid disruptions." But as the damage piles up and it's not over yet, many are starting to question whether the cost of inaction will be too high.
Climate scientists at KNMI are warning that without global heating, the current average snow cover of 5cm would have been 9cm – with some areas getting as much as 22cm. The Netherlands has never been a country where lots of snow was the norm, but with climate change, these cases are becoming increasingly rare.
As the nation struggles to cope with this new reality, there is growing emphasis on prioritizing active mobility and investing in resilient infrastructure. "We know that climate change doesn't just mean warmer – it means more extreme and unpredictable weather," says Meredith Glaser, chief executive of the Urban Cycling Institute. "These very intense cold snaps and snowfall mean that we need to make sure that our mobility networks are resilient."
As some brave souls continue to cycle in the snow, others are holding out hope for a return to milder winters. Fonger Ypma, founder of a project to thicken Arctic ice, writes on LinkedIn: "Funny to see how stubbornly Dutch people (including myself) keep our habit of cycling to work, even in this weather." But as the younger generation grows up without experiencing the joys of snow-covered streets, it's clear that something needs to change.
The Netherlands may have forgotten its snow-fighting skills, but it's time for a new approach – one that prioritizes resilience and adaptability in the face of an increasingly unpredictable climate.
A week of severe winter weather has left the Netherlands reeling, with over 2,000 flights cancelled, roads and railways crippled by snow, buildings partially collapsing, and cyclists fuming about the state of bike lanes. As the country struggles to cope with the unusual cold snap, many are wondering if the Dutch have forgotten how to handle snow.
With temperatures plummeting to -10°C (14°F) including wind chill, the usually mild Dutch climate has been pushed to its limits. According to the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), snow is becoming increasingly rare as the climate crisis takes hold. In 1961, there was snow cover on average 23 days a year; now it's just three.
"It's not only my frustration," says Wiebe Wieling, former chair of the Elfstedentocht Association. "It's a Dutch frustration. It's a climate frustration." Wieling is calling for the country to adapt its infrastructure to cope with the new normal of fewer and shorter snow seasons.
Cyclists are also feeling the pinch, with reports of bike lanes being poorly maintained during snowy conditions. Marjolein van Dillen, a volunteer with Fietsersbond, told Dutch media that bike lanes were in such disrepair that cyclists "really don't dare to get on their bikes." The lack of investment in winter infrastructure is leaving many wondering if the country has lost its grip on managing snow.
The economic cost of this failure will come later, says Rico Luman, a senior economist at ING. "Ice days have come down from 10 to three on average a year," he notes. "It's simply not worth it to invest massively in all those contingency elements to avoid disruptions." But as the damage piles up and it's not over yet, many are starting to question whether the cost of inaction will be too high.
Climate scientists at KNMI are warning that without global heating, the current average snow cover of 5cm would have been 9cm – with some areas getting as much as 22cm. The Netherlands has never been a country where lots of snow was the norm, but with climate change, these cases are becoming increasingly rare.
As the nation struggles to cope with this new reality, there is growing emphasis on prioritizing active mobility and investing in resilient infrastructure. "We know that climate change doesn't just mean warmer – it means more extreme and unpredictable weather," says Meredith Glaser, chief executive of the Urban Cycling Institute. "These very intense cold snaps and snowfall mean that we need to make sure that our mobility networks are resilient."
As some brave souls continue to cycle in the snow, others are holding out hope for a return to milder winters. Fonger Ypma, founder of a project to thicken Arctic ice, writes on LinkedIn: "Funny to see how stubbornly Dutch people (including myself) keep our habit of cycling to work, even in this weather." But as the younger generation grows up without experiencing the joys of snow-covered streets, it's clear that something needs to change.
The Netherlands may have forgotten its snow-fighting skills, but it's time for a new approach – one that prioritizes resilience and adaptability in the face of an increasingly unpredictable climate.
. They're struggling to cope with this harsh winter weather, and it's not just the snow that's the problem – it's the infrastructure that's failing them. Bike lanes are in a mess, and people are too scared to even get on their bikes 
. We need to invest in resilient infrastructure, like Meredith Glaser said 
. I mean, climate change isn't just about warmer temperatures; it's also about more extreme weather events like this cold snap 
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. We need to learn from this experience and adapt our infrastructure to handle the new normal – fewer and shorter snow seasons 
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. There are people like Fonger Ypma who are still cycling in the snow, and that's amazing! 
But for those who aren't, we need to come together as a community and support each other through this tough time 
I feel like we're all stuck in this winter blues together! I'm getting so tired of hearing about cancelled flights and roads being blocked because of snow. Like, can't we just have a normal Dutch winter for once? 
And don't even get me started on the bike lanes - it's crazy that people are still using them when they're in such bad condition. I swear, I've lived here all my life and never had to deal with this kind of thing. It's like we've forgotten how to handle snow 
their country is literally struggling 2 cope w/ the weather & i think its time 4 them 2 get serious about investing in winter infrastructure 
it's not just bout the economy, its bout people's safety & well-being 
they should be ashamed of themselves 4 letting bike lanes fall into disrepair 
the youth r right, they should be holding out hope for better days ahead 
but seriously, its time 4 the dutch 2 get their act together 
The Dutch really need to get their act together! I mean, I know they're used to dealing with water, not snow 
, but come on! 2,000 flights cancelled? That's crazy! And it's not just the tourists who are affected, it's everyday people like me who can't even get around without worrying about slipping on a patch of ice 
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And it's not like the Dutch don't know how to handle snow, they've been doing it for ages! But I guess climate change has made everything more unpredictable now.
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. The Netherlands' traditional approach to handling snow seems to be no longer effective, and it's time for a new strategy that prioritizes active mobility and resilient infrastructure 
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. The economic impact of this failure will likely be significant, and the consequences could be far-reaching for the country's climate change strategy 
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. I mean, sure, 2k flights cancelled is a bummer, but that's just life in the slow lane for these guys. They should be proud of their ability to adapt (or lack thereof) to extreme weather conditions. Who needs bike lanes when you've got canals and bridges, right? 
bike lanes in disrepair? 
climate change is real, folks! 
the economic cost of inaction will be too high if they don't adapt their infrastructure... 
10 ice days a year now vs 3 back then? no wonder cyclists are going bonkers! 
That's what I'm talking about. Not this climate-induced chaos we're dealing with now.
Now it seems like a rare treat is almost impossible. And poor cyclists, getting stuck in bike lanes that are supposed to be safe...it's just not fair. 
. Climate scientists are sounding the alarm, and it's time for them to take action 
. The Netherlands can't keep relying on luck to get through these extreme cold snaps 
. I'm all for adapting infrastructure but seriously, can't we just invest in some better bike lanes or something? 
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2k people stranded! thats not just frustration, its a major economic issue 
our bike lanes are literally non-existent during snowy conditions, it's crazy! 
they're calling for investment in winter infrastructure but I think that's a no-brainer 
everyone's safety should come first. and climate scientists are saying that 5cm of snow cover is actually normal now 
- i guess they forgot how to handle snow lol 