We hope you’ve already finished your Christmas shopping, as Thursday is going to be a very wet and windy day in the Netherlands. The Dutch Weather Institute (KNMI) has issued a code yellow wind warning for the whole country, with individual gusts of up to 110 kilometres per hour forecast. As a result, there could be some disruption on roads and trains in the Netherlands. 

Storm Pia bringing heavy winds to the Netherlands

Storm Pia is heading for the Netherlands and will make her first appearance early in the morning on Thursday, December 21. The KNMI has warned that the whole country is set to take a heavy beating from gusts of wind and intense bouts of rain as a band of extreme weather passes over. 

The warning is in place from 9am on Thursday until 8am on Friday in North Holland, Friesland, Groningen and the Wadden Islands, where individual gusts could reach up to 110 kilometres per hour. In South Holland, Zeeland, Drenthe, Felvoland and around the IJsselmeer, the warning applies from 11am on Thursday until 4pm on Friday. Elsewhere, it lasts just from 1pm until midnight on Thursday. 

Take care on Thursday and stay home if you can

A code yellow warning means that people should be careful. The KNMI said that the wind could cause branches to break off trees and there was a risk of other flying objects like roof tiles or garden furniture. 

The storm could also spell disruption for transportation, so if you’re able to work from home on Thursday, it’s probably easier (and safer) to do so. Not only trains and buses could face delays, but also planes flying in and out of Dutch airports. With the Christmas holidays fast approaching, there’s a high chance of congestion on roads and in the air, which will only be worsened by the storm. 

Hundreds of flights cancelled and more delayed

On the morning of December 21, Schiphol Airport reported that more than 200 flights scheduled for Thursday had been cancelled due to the storm. This affects both departing and arriving flights. A further 100 flights have already faced delays, with more disruption expected during the day. 

Rail operator NS said that a track switch failure between Delft and Schiedam was affecting the route between Rotterdam and The Hague, and so warned that far fewer trains were expected to run than normal. Passengers are being advised to check the status of their flights and trains before travelling.