While the weather this week has been chilly but sunny, don’t expect the favourable conditions to last - the storms Dudley and Eunice are on their way to the Netherlands, and they’re set to bring rain and winds of up to 120 kilometres per hour. 

The Netherlands braces for stormy weather and heavy winds

This time last year, the Netherlands was enjoying the last few days of iced-over canals and snowy roads, as temperatures across the country were rising, bringing a short burst of spring and sunshine. This year, the end of February is looking pretty different.

Dubbed Storm Dudley, low pressure set to travel from the north of Scotland to Norway on Thursday will cause blustery weather for much of the UK, and will have knock-on effects on weather conditions here in the Netherlands.

On Thursday, you can expect winds of over 100 kilometres an hour along the Dutch coast and in the Northern and Western parts of the country. The Dutch Weather Institute (KNMI) has issued a code yellow weather warning that will be in place throughout Thursday morning and for part of the afternoon. 

There may be some sunshine, but rain is also on the cards, with temperatures of around 12 degrees expected in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and The Hague - all in all, fairly mild for February. 

Winds of over 100 km / h expected this week

Dudley will pass fairly quickly but, heading into Friday, Storm Eunice will bring even heavier winds. Once again, coastal cities and towns should prepare for winds of between 100 and 130 kilometres per hour, while in the southern province of Limburg conditions will remain significantly milder. 

While The KNMI's weather warning for Dudley is set to expire at 3pm on Tuesday, an orange warning one comes into effect at 2pm on Friday as a result of the extremely heavy winds. It is set to remain in place until 2am on Saturday morning. 

The windy weather is set to stick around for the weekend, with a combination of sunny spells and rain showers on the cards for the Netherlands. Things are set to improve again from Tuesday.