Published on 11 February 2021
In the aftermath of Storm Darcy that hit Europe in the second week of February 2021, regions that rarely experience heavy snowfall have been blanketed in snow. The storm, which originated in Russia, has affected Northern European countries the most, causing major disruptions in daily life.
This image, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 9 February 2021, shows Brussels covered with snow. Credit: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery
The Netherlands has experienced its first large snowstorm in the past ten years, with disrupted air and rail traffic, and disruptions due to the snow were also recorded throughout the entire rail and road traffic network in Germany. In Brussels, the three largest train stations are temporarily being kept open for 24 hours a day to shelter the homeless from the snow and freezing temperatures.
Storm Darcy is the latest extreme weather phenomenon in a particularly cold winter in Northern Europe. According to a report published by the Copernicus Climate Change Service on 9 February, the entire month of January 2021 was colder than average.
Discover also the cities of Liège, Ghent, Bruges and Antwerpen covered with snow:
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The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission provides high-resolution data that can be used to produce detailed snow and ice map of Europe.