Work from home on Thursday: Strong wind and heavy rain expected during rush hours
People in the Netherlands were advised to work from home and stay indoors on Thursday, with heavy rain and wind gusts expected to cause a dismal morning and evening rush hour. The recommendation from the Dutch infrastructure agency, Rijkswaterstaat, follows storm warning alerts issued by the KNMI for both Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
The Dutch meteorological institute (KNMI) put the entire country on a Code Yellow alert for the possibility of severe thunderstorms, hail, and wind gusts of up to 75 kilometers per hour. In the west and northwest, the wind gusts could reach up to 100 km/h. The first alert was in effect for Wednesday from about 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. along the western coast, and starting about an hour later inland.
Then on Thursday morning, from about 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., the KNMI issued a separate Code Yellow warning with wind gusts expected to pummel coastal areas, combined with heavy rainfall. The warning covers the provinces of Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland, Zeeland, and Friesland, as well as the Wadden Islands and the IJsselmeer region, with gusts of up to 90 km/h expected again. "Traffic and outdoor activities could be affected by the thunderstorms and strong gusts of wind," the KNMI said.
Although the warning was more limited, Rijkswaterstaat asked people to be cautious. "On Thursday we are expecting a busier morning and evening rush hour due to heavy rain and wind gusts. Because it is always very busy on the national roads on Thursdays, we advise road users who do not want to end up in long traffic jams to make a different choice or to work from home if possible," the agency said. Rijkswaterstaat said that people would be wise "not to go on the road during rush hour" on Thursday.
Traffic jams could be considerably worse than on a Thursday with more mild weather. A normal Thursday rush hour sees a peak of 375 kilometers of traffic jams in the morning, and 450 kilometers in the evening, but that rose to over 700 kilometers during rainy periods at the end of last year.
Colder, with more winter weather on the way
Thursday, Friday and Saturday were predicted to be rainy with high temperatures of about 11 degrees, and lows betwee 4 and 7 degrees Celsius. The wind should be less from Friday, and more mild by Monday, the KNMI said.
"After Sunday, high temperatures will be slightly below the long-term average" of 6 degrees during the day and 2 degrees at night. The "chance of winter precipitation is increasing."
