Code yellow issued as the Netherlands braces for autumn storm on Thursday
The Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute (KNMI) has issued a code yellow weather warning for very strong winds on Thursday, October 23 and Friday, October 24, and a code orange in certain Dutch provinces. Winds of up to 120 kilometres per hour are expected to blow through the Netherlands as Storm Benjamin hits, with the chance of heavy rain and stormy weather.
Third autumn storm to hit the Netherlands on Thursday
While the weather in the Netherlands has been relatively calm in the last few weeks, it is set to take a turn for the worse on Thursday, October 23, peaking with a full-blown storm during the evening. Thursday will start with cloudy weather and some rain showers, but as the day progresses into the evening, it will get a lot windier.
Indeed, KNMI has issued a code yellow for the Dutch provinces of Friesland, Groningen, Drenthe, Utrecht, Flevoland, Overijssel, Gelderland, North Brabant and Limburg from 8am on Thursday into the morning of Friday, where a weather warning is in place for the whole country. KNMI has upgraded the weather warning to a code orange for the provinces of North Holland, South Holland and Zeeland as Storm Benjamin will have the largest impact on the coast.
The Dutch weather institute expects heavy wind gusts of up to 120 km/h and warns that road traffic may be seriously disrupted. “Damage and hazards from flying objects or broken branches may also occur,” KNMI reports.
There is also a strong chance for a storm to develop on Thursday evening, which would make it the third storm of the season and the fifth storm of 2025. According to Weeronline, Friday will also be quite stormy with strong winds and between 20 and 40 millimetres of rainfall throughout the day.
Colder weather arrives in the Netherlands on the weekend
After the storm has passed and the winds have died down, cold air will move in over the Netherlands. With temperatures dropping to a maximum of 12 degrees celsius from Friday, it’s safe to say that true autumn weather will have arrived in the Netherlands.
The mercury is even expected to drop as low as 5 degrees celsius during the weekend nights. Saturday and Sunday will also be cloudy and see some rain showers sprinkled in throughout.