MP's better hold on to their hats: Windy weather forecast for Budget Day
Parliamentarians had better hold on to their traditional Prinsjesdag hats today. Yesterday’s strong winds will continue for the first part of today. An umbrella is also advisable, meteorologist Nicolien Kroon of Buienradar told RTL Nieuws.
It’s Prinsjesdag, or Budget Day, in The Hague today. The Royal family will travel through the city in a carriage, King Willem-Alexander will give a speech, and the caretaker Cabinet will present the national budget for next year. The day is filled with traditions and ceremony, including women wearing fancy hats.
“It won’t be as windy on Prinsjesdag as it was on Monday, but we’ll definitely see people holding on tight to their hats. I’m expecting wind force 5 or 6 in The Hague,” Kroon said. She advised hat wearers to use pins or hairclips to protect their headwear against the wind. “And bring an umbrella, as showers are certainly possible.”
A code yellow strong winds warning is still in effect for Noord-Holland, the IJsselmeergebied, the Wadden Sea islands, and Friesland. The meteorological institute KNMI expects the winds to die down slightly by mid-morning.
The day will be mostly cloudy with showers. The sun will occasionally peek through in the afternoon. Maximum temperatures will climb to around 17 degrees, and the wind will remain moderate to strong.
On Monday evening, wind force 9 was measured for an hour in IJmuiden, making the first autumn storm of the year a fact, according to Weeronline. On average, the first autumn storm hits around mid-October. The previous storm was in 2022.
Fire brigades in the Netherlands had their hands full on Monday due to the strong winds. In Rotterdam, a tree fell onto the overhead lines of a tram, and shopping containers fell onto parked cars. In Paterswoldsemeer near Groningen, the fire brigade had to rescue a boat from the water that got into trouble due to the strong winds.
