Code Red wind warning lifted; New national alert issued for Sunday
The Dutch meteorological institute, KNMI, withdrew its most serious Code Red weather warning for Storm Eunice. The weather system wreaked havoc in the Netherlands, with maximum wind gusts of 145 km/h recorded in Cabauw and Houtribdijk, and 141 km/h at Hoek van Holland. Three people died in the Amsterdam area in separate incidents involving trees, and a fourth died near Groningen.
The remaining Code Red warning was withdrawn just after 2:15 a.m. on Saturday. That had been in effect in Flevoland, Friesland, Noord-Holland, the Wadden Islands, and the IJsselmeer region. The strictest alert was also lifted in Zeeland and Zuid-Holland earlier on Friday evening. Over the course of Friday evening and Saturday morning, the Code Orange and Yellow alerts affecting the rest of the Netherlands were also withdrawn.
A new Code Yellow alert was in place from 9 p.m. on Saturday to 1 a.m. on Sunday in Zeeland and Zuid-Holland. The KNMI was anticipating heavy wind gusts there of up to 90 km/h, which can be difficult for motorists.
Storm Franklin on the way
The KNMI issued a second Code Yellow alert, which also covered all regions of the Netherlands, in anticipation of Storm Franklin. If that hits the Netherlands as expected, it will be the third official storm in a week.
In areas that border the western coastal provinces of Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland, and Zeeland, and on the Wadden Islands, the warning will take effect at 4 p.m. on Sunday, continuing to 6 a.m. on Monday. It runs from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. everywhere else.
Wind gusts of between 90-110 km/h were predicted for Sunday evening along the coast. Inland, the wind speed is expected to be between 75-100 km/h. The KNMI warned of the possibility of localized damage due to the strong gusts.
The daytime high temperature on Saturday is expected to be about 8 degrees Celsius. Overnight, that could fall as low as 3 degrees in the northeast, while remaining around 8 degrees in the southwest. “Sunday during the day it will be gray and rainy. The afternoon temperatures are around 10 degrees Celsius.
“It will be cloudy this morning with a few showers especially in the north. In the afternoon there are periods of sun and it will remain dry,” the KNMI predicted. “Towards the end of the afternoon cloudiness will increase rapidly and rain will follow from the west. The westerly wind will continue to be strong, especially in the west and north, with strong to strong winds along the coast.”
