So far, 2021 has been anything but predictable - something that can also be applied to the weather the Netherlands has experienced over the last two months. Only one month ago, storm Darcy brought bitter winds and heavy snow as everyone donned their skates and took to the canals. Then, two weeks ago, the Netherlands saw extremely mild temperatures and sunny skies as February came to a close. 

Since the start of March, the temperatures have been cooler and the skies have been greyer, but now it looks as though the first official storm is on the way. Spring may be around the corner, but don’t get too excited - the weather expected over the next couple of days will feel more like autumn than spring. 

Heavy winds and chance of thunderstorms in the Netherlands

Over the course of Wednesday afternoon, meteorologists at Weeronline say the wind will pick up and the rain will spread across the country. Temperatures will range between five and 10 degrees depending on where you are, and the Wadden Islands and northwest parts of the Netherlands could see winds of up to 75 kilometres per hour on Wednesday evening. 

The wind and rain will stick around overnight, ensuring what Weeronline is calling turbulent weather conditions on Thursday. Throughout the day, much of the country can look forward to winds of between 75 and 100 kilometres per hour, with wind speeds as high as 110 kilometres per hour along the coastal regions and in The Hague, Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Due to the strong winds, the Dutch Weather Institute has issued a code yellow weather warning for the whole of the Netherlands.

Stormy conditions expected to continue into the weekend

In addition to the heavy winds, rain showers are expected across the country for most of the day, especially in the northern regions. On Thursday afternoon there is also an increased chance of thunderstorms, and the evening could potentially see some hail fall. 

Throughout the day, temperatures will range from around 10 to 13 degrees. Heading into Thursday night the wind will die down slightly and the rain should ease, but the stormy weather will likely continue into Friday and the weekend: the wind will remain strong, and Friday could see some more thunderstorms.