{"id":7277,"date":"2026-01-16T14:36:07","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T13:36:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/?p=7277"},"modified":"2026-01-16T14:45:40","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T13:45:40","slug":"experiencing-the-netherlands-rare-snowfall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/2026\/01\/16\/experiencing-the-netherlands-rare-snowfall\/","title":{"rendered":"Experiencing the Netherlands\u2019 Rare Snowfall"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve been keeping an eye on the news, you probably heard that Europe went through a cold and snowy week recently. The Netherlands especially felt the chill, with a level of snowfall the country hasn\u2019t experienced in years. It felt like time had stopped for a brief moment, snowflakes covering the surface. You might wonder \u2013 what is it like to be in the Netherlands, especially in Wageningen, during the snow? How does life here unravel? Let me share some insight with you!<\/p>\n

Snowy Weather in the Netherlands<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Snowfall in the Netherlands is not a typical winter weather but rather a rare case. Because of the impact of the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean, winter temperatures are usually moderate. Instead of cold and dry air, it gets rather humid, which leads to rain. Even if it snows, usually it\u2019s light, and it does not stay on the ground much because of the mild maritime climate.<\/p>\n

However, last week\u2019s snowfall in the Netherlands was unusual because it wasn\u2019t just a light dusting. Last week, a cold front and low-pressure system settled over the Netherlands, keeping temperatures low and bringing plenty of moisture. On 7 January 2026, the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) reported<\/a> that snow fell across much of the country all day, with many areas seeing 5 to 15 centimetres of accumulation. This type of snow happens typically once every five years \u2013 the last time it was 2021 when snowstorm Darcy covered large parts of the territory.<\/p>\n

The snow may have turned the Netherlands into a winter wonderland, but it also caused plenty of headaches. Early January saw code orange<\/strong> warnings as snow kept piling up, bringing chaos to travel, services, and daily life. For instance, there were days when public transport was not functioning properly, and some flights were cancelled. For most residents, this was a level of winter intensity they hadn\u2019t experienced in years.<\/p>\n

Last week in Wageningen<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u00a0 \"Snow<\/strong> \"Playing \"WUR<\/p>\n

From personal experience, it really did feel like time slowed down. One day, the snow fell so heavily that buses stopped running, classes were cancelled, and the whole town was blanketed in soft, white paint. Despite the disruption, it was cosy to see kids and students outside, laughing as they had snowball fights, built snowmen, and made snow angels. There was something magical about seeing the entire town come alive in the snow; it felt like the whole world had paused just for a winter day of fun.<\/p>\n

What should you do when heavy snow hits Wageningen? Here are a few handy tips to help you make the most of it.<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Check the Dutch weather apps, such as Buienradar<\/strong>, for concrete information. Also, check the KNMI app for official weather warnings and an accurate forecast.<\/li>\n
  • Check the myWUR<\/strong> app to see the latest updates about the impact of the snow. If it snows heavily, it\u2019s most likely that mandatory attendance is cancelled so students and teachers don\u2019t need to travel.<\/li>\n
  • Biking is risky!<\/strong> It\u2019s usually advised not to bike during a snowstorm because of the roads being icy and slippery. However, you will see brave Dutchies out there biking that beat the odds. If I were you, I would simply walk and not risk falling off the bike.<\/li>\n
  • If you want to enjoy the snow and the view, walk to the Park Noordwest or Wageningse Berg. If you are not a snow person, you can simply enjoy staying cosy at home with a cup of tea!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    \"Little<\/p>\n

    Ending<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Whether you love the snow or prefer to watch it from a warm corner, there\u2019s something special about seeing Wageningen transform into a winter wonderland. From snowball fights to quiet snowy walks, these rare moments remind us to slow down and enjoy the beauty of nature, even if it comes with a little chaos. It\u2019s always nice to make the most of the magical winter xx<\/p>\n

    Cheers,<\/p>\n

    Samir<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    If you\u2019ve been keeping an eye on the news, you probably heard that Europe went through a cold and snowy week recently. The Netherlands especially felt the chill, with a level of snowfall the country hasn\u2019t experienced in years. It felt like time had stopped for a brief moment, snowflakes…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1873,"featured_media":7278,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[319,320],"class_list":["post-7277","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-student-life","tag-snow","tag-weather"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nExperiencing the Netherlands\u2019 Rare Snowfall - International Students Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/2026\/01\/16\/experiencing-the-netherlands-rare-snowfall\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Experiencing the Netherlands\u2019 Rare Snowfall - International Students Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you\u2019ve been keeping an eye on the news, you probably heard that Europe went through a cold and snowy week recently. The Netherlands especially felt the chill, with a level of snowfall the country hasn\u2019t experienced in years. It felt like time had stopped for a brief moment, snowflakes...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/2026\/01\/16\/experiencing-the-netherlands-rare-snowfall\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"International Students Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-16T13:36:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-16T13:45:40+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/01\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-01-15-at-12.41.21-1.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Samir Mammadov\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Samir Mammadov\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Experiencing the Netherlands\u2019 Rare Snowfall - International Students Blog","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/2026\/01\/16\/experiencing-the-netherlands-rare-snowfall\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Experiencing the Netherlands\u2019 Rare Snowfall - International Students Blog","og_description":"If you\u2019ve been keeping an eye on the news, you probably heard that Europe went through a cold and snowy week recently. The Netherlands especially felt the chill, with a level of snowfall the country hasn\u2019t experienced in years. It felt like time had stopped for a brief moment, snowflakes...","og_url":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/2026\/01\/16\/experiencing-the-netherlands-rare-snowfall\/","og_site_name":"International Students Blog","article_published_time":"2026-01-16T13:36:07+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-01-16T13:45:40+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1600,"height":1200,"url":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/01\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-01-15-at-12.41.21-1.jpeg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Samir Mammadov","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Samir Mammadov","Estimated reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/2026\/01\/16\/experiencing-the-netherlands-rare-snowfall\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/2026\/01\/16\/experiencing-the-netherlands-rare-snowfall\/"},"author":{"name":"Samir Mammadov","@id":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/#\/schema\/person\/8451fa9adb8d4d7176f0a55107acbf2a"},"headline":"Experiencing the Netherlands\u2019 Rare Snowfall","datePublished":"2026-01-16T13:36:07+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-16T13:45:40+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/2026\/01\/16\/experiencing-the-netherlands-rare-snowfall\/"},"wordCount":656,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/2026\/01\/16\/experiencing-the-netherlands-rare-snowfall\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/01\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-01-15-at-12.41.21-1.jpeg","keywords":["snow","weather"],"articleSection":["Student life"],"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/2026\/01\/16\/experiencing-the-netherlands-rare-snowfall\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/2026\/01\/16\/experiencing-the-netherlands-rare-snowfall\/","url":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/2026\/01\/16\/experiencing-the-netherlands-rare-snowfall\/","name":"Experiencing the Netherlands\u2019 Rare Snowfall - International Students Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/2026\/01\/16\/experiencing-the-netherlands-rare-snowfall\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/2026\/01\/16\/experiencing-the-netherlands-rare-snowfall\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/01\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-01-15-at-12.41.21-1.jpeg","datePublished":"2026-01-16T13:36:07+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-16T13:45:40+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/2026\/01\/16\/experiencing-the-netherlands-rare-snowfall\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/2026\/01\/16\/experiencing-the-netherlands-rare-snowfall\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/2026\/01\/16\/experiencing-the-netherlands-rare-snowfall\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/01\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-01-15-at-12.41.21-1.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/01\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-01-15-at-12.41.21-1.jpeg","width":1600,"height":1200,"caption":"Snow in Wageningen"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/2026\/01\/16\/experiencing-the-netherlands-rare-snowfall\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Experiencing the Netherlands\u2019 Rare Snowfall"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/#website","url":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/","name":"International Students Blog","description":"Get introduced to Wageningen with personal stories","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/#organization","name":"Wageningen University","url":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2016\/07\/WUR-logo4.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2016\/07\/WUR-logo4.jpg","width":1976,"height":1456,"caption":"Wageningen University"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/#\/schema\/person\/8451fa9adb8d4d7176f0a55107acbf2a","name":"Samir Mammadov","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/03\/Sevilla-pic-96x96.jpg","url":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/03\/Sevilla-pic-96x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/03\/Sevilla-pic-96x96.jpg","caption":"Samir Mammadov"},"url":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/author\/mamma002\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7277","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1873"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7277"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7277\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7289,"href":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7277\/revisions\/7289"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7278"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7277"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7277"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7277"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}