Commuters are being warned they face delays on both public transport and the roads on Thursday evening as a major storm moved in from the Atlantic.

The KNMI weather bureau has issued a code orange weather warning for south and western parts of the country, saying winds of up to 130 kph could hit coastal regions. Noord and Zuid Holland and the Wadden islands are expected to be hardest hit.

The NS reduced train services to cope with the expected problems and commuters are being advised to check timetables carefully.

‘It is not possible to make adjustments for just part of a day because the trains are readied at night,’ spokesman Jerry Kroeze told broadcaster NOS. ‘This is why services were reduced in the morning.’

Schiphol airport has also told travellers to be aware that some flights may be delayed or cancelled altogether. Ferry services to Terschelling and Vlieland have been reduced.

The transport ministry’s roads department is warning motorists to be extremely careful  because of the gusty conditions.

Weather bureau Weeronline said the amount of rain which will fall on Wednesday and Thursday is equivalent to the rainfall of an entire month. In some places, three centimetres of rain fell on Wednesday and a further five could fall on Thursday.

The winds will die down overnight and turn northwesterly on Friday, bringing colder temperatures and the possibility of some sleet.

Flevoland – Storm raast over Flevoland: De eerste gevolgen van de storm die donderdag over Nederland raast zijn in… https://t.co/KyQg4I59CA pic.twitter.com/RiO4x9jDpg

— flevoland (@flevoland) February 23, 2017

#Nederland #Westland Nou de #storm komt binnen waaien 😇 pic.twitter.com/3Au5Td0yFy

— HenkNieuws 2017 (@HenkNieuws) February 23, 2017