The Netherlands is sweltering under a code orange weather warning, so you can expect disruptions to various services and more chaotic traffic than usual. ⚠️
Temperatures in the southern half of the Netherlands are expected to reach a scorching 38 degrees Celsius Tuesday, with an extreme heat warning in place for Noord-Brabant, Limburg, and Gelderland.
What is a code orange weather warning?
This is an alert issued by the KNMI (Dutch Meteorological Institute) for potentially deadly weather, with a high probability of it causing damage, injury, or other inconveniences.
These warnings are usually accompanied by additional heat measures, such as the closure of certain services.
In addition to this alert, various changes are coming down the heatwave pipeline. 👇
Ferries won’t sail on Tuesday or Wednesday
If your regular commute has you hopping on a ferry to reach the office, you may need to work from home today.
According to the NOS, ferry services in the provinces of South Holland, Utrecht, Gelderland, and Brabant will be on pause for today and tomorrow (July 1 to 2).
There’ll be more trains to the beach
Grab your swimsuits, because the NS is now running six trains per hour to Zandvoort.
As an NS spokesperson tells Het Parool, the extra trains are only expected to run until Wednesday (June 2), so you may want to hop on board before they’re gone.
Waste will be collected much earlier than usual
With waste collectors trying to avoid the heat of the day, collection rounds will start by 6:30 or 7 AM.
READ MORE | Recycling in the Netherlands: an international’s guide in 2025
AD advises you to put your garbage bins or bags out before 7 AM if you want them collected.
The NOS, meanwhile, suggests an even earlier time (6:30 AM) for those who live in the municipalities of Vlissingen, Purmerend, Vught, Woerden, Bernheze, Son en Breugel, Tilburg, Dongen, Nijmegen, Cranendonck, and het Land van Cuijk.
Water shortages may occur
As water consumption is currently skyrocketing, some providers report that they’re already stretched quite thin. (Terrible news for fans of long showers! 👀)
Vitens, in particular, warns that their “storage cellars sometimes run out faster than we can fill them.”
They recommend restricting heavier water usage to off-peak hours, such as before 7 AM in the morning or after 11 PM at night.
Bonus: There’ll likely be heavy smog
As the RIVM reports, the central and southern parts of the Netherlands can expect smog and poor air quality.
Living in or near these regions? You may want to stay indoors, especially during late afternoon and early evening (when the air will be most polluted).
This warning will likely be in effect until Wednesday, July 2.
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