Snow and ice are wreaking havoc across large swathes of Europe this week, leaving at least five people dead in France and causing cascading disruption to air, rail and road networks from Paris and Amsterdam to the UK and the Balkans.

A stubborn Arctic cold snap that settled over the continent on Monday has turned busy transport arteries into treacherous corridors, shuttered smaller airports, halted trains and stranded thousands of travelers at the height of the post-holiday return rush.

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Deadly conditions on French roads as cold snap bites

French authorities confirmed that five people have died in road accidents linked to the wintry conditions since Monday, as snow and black ice turned highways and secondary routes into danger zones.

Three fatalities were reported in the Landes region of southwestern France, while at least two more people were killed on roads in the Île-de-France area around Paris, where a sudden burst of heavy snowfall caught many motorists off guard.

Transport officials warned that thawing snow that refroze overnight had created an invisible layer of ice on major arteries leading into the capital.

Drivers woke on Tuesday to gridlocked ring roads and long tailbacks stretching from the northwestern outskirts of Paris well into Normandy, with emergency services struggling to reach some of the worst-affected stretches of highway.

In a bid to reduce accidents and ease congestion, authorities around Paris ordered heavy trucks off the roads on Monday evening, extending the measures into Tuesday as conditions failed to improve.

France’s transport minister appealed for residents to avoid unnecessary journeys, urging employees to work from home where possible and reminding motorists that winter equipment, including snow chains or certified snow tires, should be used in affected regions.

Airports under strain as hundreds of flights are canceled

Air travel has borne the brunt of the disruption, with hundreds of flights canceled across key European hubs and many more delayed as airports struggle with snow-covered runways, de-icing bottlenecks and reduced visibility.

The worst impact has been felt in the Netherlands, where Amsterdam’s Schiphol, one of Europe’s busiest transit hubs, has suffered days of severe disruption.

Airport officials in Amsterdam reported that around 400 flights were canceled on Tuesday alone, on top of hundreds of scrapped services since Friday as snow and ice repeatedly forced reductions in runway capacity.

Airlines including KLM, the Dutch arm of Air France-KLM, have preemptively cut large portions of their schedules, expecting only limited operations to be possible until conditions stabilize.

Passengers described scenes of confusion and frustration in Schiphol’s departure halls, with departure boards dominated by red “canceled” notices and long lines forming at airline service desks.

Some aircraft already on the tarmac faced extended waits for one of the airport’s limited de-icing posts, leading to delays of several hours even for flights that were eventually able to depart.

France has also seen a sharp aviation impact. Six smaller airports in the west and north of the country were closed due to snow and ice, while Paris’s two main gateways operated with more limited disruption but warned travelers to expect delays.

Elsewhere in Europe, airports in the UK, Ireland and across the Western Balkans have reported waves of cancellations and diversions as snow bands and freezing rain sweep across the continent.

Trains halted and commuters stranded in the Netherlands

The Netherlands has emerged as one of the worst-hit countries, with its usually reliable rail network brought to a standstill on Tuesday morning.

National operator NS suspended all domestic services for several hours after snow and ice damaged key infrastructure and an IT glitch compounded the disruption, leaving commuters and tourists with few options for reaching Amsterdam, The Hague or Rotterdam.

Limited services began to resume after mid-morning, but routes into and around Amsterdam remained severely curtailed, with NS cautioning that passengers should only travel if absolutely necessary.

Frozen switches, snow-packed points and accumulated ice on overhead lines all contributed to the difficulties, while staff shortages and logistical snags slowed the restart of normal operations.

The paralysis extended beyond domestic routes. High-speed Eurostar and Thalys services linking Amsterdam to Paris and Brussels were either canceled outright or running with significant delays, adding to the headaches for international travelers attempting to make onward connections by air.

With parts of the highway network also clogged by accidents and slow-moving traffic, many would-be commuters either turned back or resigned themselves to remote work.

UK and Ireland grapple with school closures and travel chaos

Across the North Sea, the UK and Ireland have also been battling the effects of the Arctic blast, which has delivered some of the coldest temperatures of the winter so far along with heavy snow, particularly in Scotland and parts of northern England.

Weather warnings for snow and ice remain in force for large areas, with the UK Met Office issuing an amber alert for central Scotland, indicating a potential risk to life from hazardous conditions.

Hundreds of schools announced closures on Monday and Tuesday, leaving parents scrambling to arrange childcare as authorities stressed that icy roads and ungritted side streets made school journeys unsafe.

In rural parts of Scotland, local officials reported that some communities were at risk of being cut off as snowdrifts built up on minor roads and plows struggled to keep up.

Airports across the UK reported cancellations and delays, with regional hubs such as Aberdeen and Inverness particularly affected.

Some flights were axed preemptively as airlines adjusted schedules in anticipation of worsening conditions, while others were held on the ground as crews cleared snow from runways and applied de-icing fluid to aircraft.

Even major hubs that escaped the worst snowfall faced knock-on effects from disruptions at European destinations, leading to a patchwork of canceled departures and missed connections.

Rail operators in England, Scotland and Wales reported severe disruptions on several main lines, prompting "do not travel" warnings on some routes.

Urban transit systems were not immune; in Glasgow and other cities, portions of subway and commuter rail services were suspended at various points as tracks were buried and signaling systems struggled in sub-zero temperatures.

Tourists caught between winter wonderland and logistical nightmare

The timing of the cold snap has been especially difficult for tourists who remained in Europe after the New Year holidays, many of whom planned to return home or move on to new destinations in the first full week of January.

In Paris, visitors awoke to postcard-perfect scenes of snow-dusted boulevards and monuments on Tuesday morning, but picturesque views were quickly overshadowed by practical challenges as bus routes remained disrupted and traffic jams snaked through the capital.

Popular attractions in the French capital and elsewhere stayed open but saw attendance fall as both locals and tourists struggled with long waits for reduced public transport services.

Travel advisers and consular officials urged foreign visitors to monitor local announcements closely, keep accommodation flexible where possible and build extra time into transfer plans to account for the patchy transport situation.

In Amsterdam, hundreds of passengers found themselves unexpectedly stuck overnight after missed flight connections, with nearby hotels quickly approaching capacity.

Some airlines arranged camp beds or meal vouchers for stranded travelers, but others advised passengers to rebook online and avoid heading to the airport until they had firm confirmation that their flights would operate.

Tourism bodies across Europe warned that continued volatility in the weather over the coming days could further complicate city breaks and ski trips alike.

While mountain resorts welcomed fresh snowfalls that improved piste conditions, the same storm systems threatened to snarl road access to alpine valleys and force intermittent closures of smaller regional airports that serve winter sports destinations.

Western Balkans face flooding, power cuts and a fatal accident

The wintry system has not only brought snow but also heavy rain and strong winds to parts of the Western Balkans, where authorities have been grappling with a mix of flooded roads, damaged power lines and dangerous tree falls.

Rivers in several regions have swollen rapidly, prompting flood alerts and localized evacuations as water levels climbed.

In Sarajevo, officials reported that a woman was killed on Monday when a tree, weighed down by wet snow, collapsed onto a public area.

The incident underscored the multifaceted nature of the threat posed by the current cold spell, which combines ice-coated surfaces and poor visibility with the risk of structural damage to older or poorly maintained infrastructure.

Across western Serbia, Bosnia and neighboring countries, crews worked through the night to restore electricity in communities where power lines had snapped under the weight of ice.

Mountain passes and secondary roads were intermittently closed by snowdrifts and overturned vehicles, complicating efforts by emergency services to reach isolated villages and tourist lodges.

Regional meteorological agencies warned that further bouts of snow, freezing rain and high winds were possible as cold Arctic air continues to collide with moist air masses moving up from the Mediterranean.

The combination, they said, could prolong disruptions well into the week and potentially into the following one, depending on how quickly temperatures begin to recover.

Authorities urge caution as Europe braces for prolonged cold

With forecasters predicting that the current cold snap could persist through at least mid-January in parts of Europe, national and local authorities are stepping up public information campaigns aimed at reducing travel risks and protecting vulnerable residents.

In France, the national weather service has maintained an orange alert for snow and ice across much of the northwest, including Paris, signaling a continued risk of hazardous conditions on untreated surfaces.

Dutch officials, still dealing with the compounded effects of multiple days of snowfall, have encouraged residents to avoid nonessential trips and to use public transport only when absolutely necessary, given the strain on both rail and bus networks.

Municipal services have been out in force gritting main roads and cycle paths, although many secondary routes remain slippery, particularly in the early morning and late evening.

Health agencies in the UK and Ireland have issued cold weather alerts warning of an elevated risk to elderly people, the homeless and those with pre-existing health conditions.

Community organizations and local councils have opened additional shelters and "warm spaces" where residents without adequate heating can seek refuge from sub-zero temperatures.

Across the continent, emergency responders are preparing for the possibility of further accidents and infrastructure failures, from burst water pipes and power outages to avalanches in mountain regions following heavy snowfalls.

Travelers, whether commuting to work or embarking on cross-border journeys, are being urged to check conditions repeatedly, carry winter-appropriate gear and be ready to alter plans at short notice.

FAQ

Q1. Where have the five reported deaths occurred in Europe’s current cold snap?
Five fatalities have been reported on French roads since Monday, with three deaths in the Landes region of southwestern France and at least two more in the Île-de-France area around Paris, where snow and ice have made driving particularly hazardous.

Q2. Which airports are experiencing the worst flight disruptions?
Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport has been among the hardest hit, with hundreds of flights canceled over several consecutive days. In France, six smaller airports in the north and west have closed due to snow and ice, and airports in the UK, Ireland and the Western Balkans are also seeing waves of cancellations and delays.

Q3. How has rail travel been affected in the Netherlands?
The Dutch national rail operator suspended all domestic services for hours on Tuesday after snow, ice and an IT glitch crippled the network. Although some lines have gradually reopened, routes in and around Amsterdam remain heavily disrupted and passengers are being advised to travel only if necessary.

Q4. What are the conditions like in the UK and Ireland?
The UK and Ireland are dealing with heavy snowfall, especially in Scotland and parts of northern England, along with severe icy conditions. Hundreds of schools have closed, there are widespread delays and cancellations on rail and road networks, and some regional airports have reported multiple canceled flights.

Q5. Are Paris and other major cities completely shut down for tourists?
Most major attractions in cities such as Paris remain open, but tourists are encountering reduced public transport services, traffic jams and longer journey times. Authorities are advising visitors to monitor local updates closely, allow extra time for transfers and keep travel plans flexible.

Q6. How long is the current cold spell expected to last?
Meteorologists expect the Arctic air mass driving the current conditions to linger over parts of Europe for at least several more days and potentially into mid-January. The exact duration will depend on how quickly milder Atlantic systems can push the cold air eastward or weaken it.

Q7. What are officials advising travelers to do right now?
Authorities across affected countries are urging people to avoid nonessential travel, especially by road, and to check the latest information from airlines, rail operators and highway agencies before setting out. Travelers are also being encouraged to carry winter equipment, warm clothing and emergency supplies in case of delays or breakdowns.

Q8. Which regions outside Western Europe are also being hit hard?
The Western Balkans have been severely affected, with a mix of heavy snow, flooding and strong winds leading to road closures, power cuts and at least one fatality in Sarajevo. Other central and eastern European regions are also seeing disruptive snowfall and icy conditions.

Q9. How are local authorities helping vulnerable people during the cold snap?
Health and social services are expanding outreach to the elderly, homeless and those with chronic health issues, opening additional shelters and warm spaces, and advising communities to check on neighbors who may struggle in prolonged sub-zero temperatures.

Q10. What should air passengers with upcoming flights to Europe do?
Passengers with near-term itineraries to or through affected hubs should check their flight status directly with their airline, sign up for alerts, and consider allowing extra connection time or rebooking if flexible options are available. Travel experts recommend keeping overnight essentials in hand luggage in case of unexpected diversions or overnight airport stays.