KNMI issues thunderstorm warnings for nine Dutch provinces as warm weather peaks

The KNMI issued code yellow warnings Saturday for thunderstorms that could bring hail, strong wind gusts and heavy rain to much of the Netherlands later in the day.

The alerts are in effect or will activate across most provinces, starting in the south and spreading northward. Limburg faces the first risk from 3 p.m., with Noord-Brabant and Zeeland following around 5 p.m. Warnings extend to Gelderland, Utrecht and Zuid-Holland from 7 p.m., and Flevoland and Noord-Holland from 9 p.m. Northern provinces including Drenthe, Friesland, Groningen and Overijssel will see the risk later in the evening or night as the system moves northeast. The warnings are expected to clear by early Sunday.

Saturday, May 2, features clouds, sunny periods and a few showers. A zone of cloud and showers is moving northward out of the country, followed by mostly dry conditions with increasing sunshine.

Temperatures will rise quickly this morning to 17 degrees Celsius in the west and 21 degrees Celsius along the eastern border by around noon.

In the afternoon, light showers will exit via the north, giving way to a dry period with alternating clouds and sunshine. It will turn quite warm, with 23 degrees Celsius in the central Netherlands, 24 to 26 degrees Celsius in the south and east, and a maximum of just 18 degrees Celsius in the far west and on the Wadden Islands. A moderate southwest wind will prevail.

The risk of heavy rain and thunderstorms will increase in the south later in the afternoon and toward evening. Several robust showers are expected to track northward across the country. A strong cell could produce thunder, hail and forceful wind gusts up to 70 km/h, along with 10-20 mm of rain in a short time in places.

Scattered showers may persist overnight but will be less intense than the evening storms. Lows will not drop below 11 degrees Celsius.

Sunday will bring mostly cloudy skies with occasional morning sunshine and dry spells. By late morning and afternoon, an area of showers or rain will move over the country. Some places could see heavy downpours with more than 15 millimeters of rain, and thunder is possible in stronger storms.

Before the rain reaches the east and northeast, temperatures there will climb to 20 to 23 degrees Celsius. In the central and western parts of the country, highs will range from 18 to 20 degrees Celsius with a moderate southwest wind.

Showers will continue into Sunday evening before moving out. Skies will clear at times, and with decreasing winds, temperatures will fall toward 12 degrees Celsius by Monday night.

Monday will be noticeably cooler, with highs of 16 to 19 degrees Celsius in coastal areas and 19 to 21 degrees Celsius inland. Fair weather is expected with abundant sunshine, cumulus clouds and an isolated shower inland. The showers will die out during the evening, and most places should stay dry for the Dodenherdenking.

The weather will turn variable and cooler afterward. From Tuesday, expect changeable conditions with rain mainly in the southeast, while the northwest sees periods of sunshine and often stays dry. Temperatures will average 16 degrees Celsius Tuesday and drop to 12 to 15 degrees Celsius Wednesday and Thursday. Warmer conditions return starting Friday.