Severe thunderstorm warning upgraded in Netherlands; Tornado risk not ruled out
Around midday Saturday, the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) upgraded its warning for severe thunderstorms to Code Orange from the less intense Code Yellow. Weerplaza weather expert Wouter van Bernebeek said the wind conditions associated with the developing storms could even produce a tornado. Heavy wind gusts, large hailstones, and intense downpours are also expected. “It could become exceptional,” he told AD.
In the southeast of the country, Code Orange for thunderstorms applies this evening and overnight. In the rest of the Netherlands, Code Yellow is in effect, with warnings in the southwest already starting this afternoon. In the southern part of Gelderland, the eastern part of Noord-Brabant, and Limburg, thunderstorms are expected to develop around 10 p.m. or 11 p.m.
According to Van Bernebeek, Saturday will feature extreme wind shear, with large differences in wind speed near the ground and higher in the atmosphere. Those conditions “could easily produce one or two supercells,” he told AD. A supercell is the strongest type of thunderstorm on Earth. This is because the entire storm rotates around its own axis, a structure that can, in some cases, produce a tornado.
Hailstones are expected to reach 2 to 5 centimeters in diameter, while wind gusts could reach 75 to 100 km/h. Rainfall may total 20 to 40 millimeters in a short period. “This can cause inconvenience and damage in multiple locations,” KNMI said.
The severe weather threat comes as a Code Red warning for extreme heat remains in effect in Limburg, Noord-Brabant, Gelderland, and Overijssel through the end of the day. Elsewhere, a Code Orange heat warning is in place, with Code Yellow covering the Wadden Islands.
Saturday is hot, with temperatures of 32 to 36 degrees. Locally in the eastern and southeastern parts of the country, temperatures could reach 38 degrees. “The combination of high temperatures and humidity creates an oppressive, stifling heat,” KNMI said.
