Northern and coastal parts of the Netherlands will be hit by gale force winds on Tuesday as the Netherlands is battered by the first storm of the year.

The KNMI weather bureau has issued a code yellow weather warning for the north and west of the country, saying winds of up to 100 kph are likely in the morning and early afternoon.

Groningen and Friesland provinces have brought in more officials to monitor dykes because of the risk of damage caused by items washed overboard from the container ship MSC Zoe last week.

‘We are keeping a close eye on the dykes between Eemshaven and Lauwersoog because a lot of rubbish and containers are floating in the water,’ local water board Noorderzijlvest told broadcaster NOS.

‘A fridge or a container which hits a dyke with some force could cause damage,’ the spokesman said.

The strong winds coincide with a spring tide and water board officials say several sea sluice gates will be closed to keep high water levels at bay.

Schiphol

Meanwhile, Schiphol airport said on Monday evening it had cancelled 159 flights to and from Amsterdam as a precaution because of the strong winds. This means just one of the airport’s six runways will be operational.

All passengers have been warned about the cancellations but others may also face delays, Schiphol said.

The KNMI says the strong winds, which may be accompanied by rain and hail, will die down in the afternoon. Wednesday will also be windy with showers, but some clearer weather is possible in the north.

Temperatures will remain around seven degrees in day, and drop close to freezing point at night.