After Storm Dudley kicked things off last week, Storm Eunice came and wreaked havoc across the Netherlands. Now, in what has officially been recorded as the country’s sixth consecutive storm day, Storm Franklin is bringing even more rain, wind, and damage.
After Storm Eunice died down on Saturday, many across the country were likely hoping for a little bit of peace and quiet as far as the Dutch weather was concerned. However, this peace was extremely short-lived, with the Dutch Weather Institute (KNMI) issuing yet another weather warning on Sunday evening for the incoming Storm Franklin.
With a nationwide code yellow warning in effect on Sunday night, fallen trees and damaged homes were reported across the country, as public transport and traffic was once again severely disrupted as a result of the storm. Trains in and out of Hilversum were temporarily brought to a halt on Sunday after the station roof suffered damage in the wind, and in Amsterdam, the GVB reduced the number of trams running overnight.
The stormy conditions will continue throughout Monday, with weather forecasts predicting winds of up to 90 kilometres per hour across the country on Monday morning. Coastal towns and cities should brace for winds of up to 100 kilometres per hour, but the wind is due to die down over the course of Monday afternoon and evening. Train travel is not expected to be disrupted, and The Royal Dutch Touring Club (ANWB) doesn’t expect there to be any (major) traffic disruptions, but drivers have been warned to exercise caution when on the road.
With Storm Franklin currently battering the Netherlands, Monday marks the country’s sixth consecutive storm day. While five consecutive storm days have been recorded as recently as February 2014, the country has never before withstood six days of storms. There isn’t expected to be a seventh storm day.
As the third storm recorded within the space of one week, Franklin has broken national weather records; the last time the Netherlands saw three different storms in just seven days was back in 1928. Incidentally, records may be further broken as meteorologists say a fourth storm, Gladys, could be on the way this week.