Orange alert: Storm Benjamin hits western Netherlands with winds reaching 120 km/h
The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) has raised the storm warning to an orange alert for the western provinces on Thursday, as storm Benjamin is expected to hit the Netherlands with strong winds and severe storms. Wind gusts will reach 120 km/h along the western coast, while the rest of the country will experience gusts of up to 90 km/h under a yellow alert.
According to the institute, the storm will first reach the southwest of the country, then gradually spread to other areas during the evening and night until Friday. Wind speeds are expected to gradually decrease throughout Friday, with the Waddenzee area being the last to experience an improvement in weather conditions.
The orange alert will come into effect in Zeeland at 6:00 PM, then extend to Zuid-Holland around 8:00 PM, followed by Noord-Holland and the IJsselmeer area at 11:00 PM, and finally reach the Waddenzee area at 3:00 AM on Friday. Meteorologists expect the winds to calm down completely by noon on Friday in the northern coastal areas, and a few hours earlier in the other provinces.
At the same time, the rest of the Netherlands will remain under a yellow alert. It will come into effect in Noord-Brabant and Limburg at 8:00 PM and will move north across the country throughout the night. Residents are urged to exercise caution, as strong winds may cause debris to fly, trees to break, and branches to fall, posing a danger to both pedestrians and drivers.
Authorities have warned of potential disruptions to road and rail traffic, and delays or cancellations of flights at Schiphol Airport are likely. The Dutch airline KLM usually cancels dozens of flights when a storm warning is issued. The institute advises everyone in the affected areas to stay alert and minimize travel as much as possible until the weather improves on Friday.