The KNMI weather bureau has upped its extreme weather warning for coastal areas on Thursday to code orange.

Very strong gusts of wind are expected to batter the western and northern provinces, with the storm force winds reaching up to 130 kph in the Wadden Sea area.

The infrastructure ministry said on Wednesday evening the Oosterschelde storm defences will be closed for the first time in six years. The forecast gales coincide with the spring tides, meaning high water levels all along the Dutch coast.

Flights

Airline KLM said it had cancelled ‘ a significant number’ of KLM and Cityhopper flights in readiness for the bad weather. DFDS Seaways has scrapped Thursday evening’s crossing from IJmuiden to Newcastle.

The Dutch railway company NS said it is not planning to run reduced services although some changes may be necessary at a regional level.

The strong winds will be coupled with rain in the early afternoon, possibly very heavy and with thunder at times.

The strong winds will die down marginally overnight, bringing snow flurries on Friday morning. The snow will clear and give way to drier weather with frost at the weekend, the KNMI weather bureau said.

The Netherlands was last hit by very strong winds at the end of October, when two people were killed and hundreds of trees were uprooted. Weather experts said two severe storms in a short space of time are rare.