A powerful winter cold snap has swept across large parts of Europe, leaving at least six people dead and causing widespread disruption to travel, power supplies, and daily life. Heavy snowfall, freezing rain, and dangerously low temperatures forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights and stranded thousands of passengers at major transport hubs, including Paris and Amsterdam.
Air travel was hit especially hard. More than 600 flights were cancelled at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport in a single day as crews struggled to clear runways and de-ice aircraft. In Paris, authorities announced plans to cancel around 40% of flights at Charles de Gaulle airport, with further reductions at Orly, in an effort to keep operations safe amid persistent ice and snow.
❄️ Europe Travel Disruptions Intensify ❄️
A worsening cold snap is set to bring heavier snowfall across Europe, leading to more flight cancellations, delayed trains, and blocked roads in the coming days.
✈️ KLM has confirmed the cancellation of 600 flights at Amsterdam Schiphol… pic.twitter.com/GcdMZ334Tr
— AirNav Radar (@AirNavRadar) January 6, 2026
France recorded the highest death toll, with five people killed in weather-related incidents. In the southwestern Landes region, icy roads caused multiple collisions, killing three people and injuring at least 15 others. Two more fatalities were reported in the Paris region. One driver died after crashing into a heavy goods vehicle, while a taxi driver lost control on a snow-covered road, plunging into the Marne River. The passenger survived but was treated for hypothermia.
French authorities placed 38 districts under an “orange” alert for snow and black ice, warning of extremely hazardous driving conditions. Rail services were also disrupted, with numerous cancellations and delays, including high-speed connections between Paris and Amsterdam.
Further southeast, the Balkans faced severe conditions as heavy snow and rain swelled rivers and brought transport to a standstill. In Sarajevo, a woman was killed when a tree branch, weighed down by thick, wet snow, fell on her. Power and water outages were reported in parts of Serbia, Croatia, and Montenegro, highlighting the broader strain on infrastructure.
KLM CANCELS HUNDREDS OF FLIGHTS AS DE-ICING FLUID SUPPLY CRISIS HITS SCHIPHOL
Since Friday, January 2, KLM has been de-icing aircraft around the clock at Amsterdam Schiphol, using about 85,000 liters of fluid daily amid severe winter weather in Europe. Persistent snowfall,… pic.twitter.com/VEFVv9ZZ6Y
— Turbine Traveller (@Turbinetraveler) January 6, 2026
Elsewhere, Germany braced for more snow as temperatures in some regions dropped below –10°C, while the UK experienced its coldest night of the winter so far, triggering school closures and transport chaos. Italy and Spain also saw unusual winter scenes, from flooded rivers to snowfall during public events.
Weather services warn that disruptions are likely to continue for several days, with more snow and freezing temperatures forecast across much of northern and western Europe.
