Code Orange in the Netherlands for extreme weather, flights cancelled, one death

That flying house from The Wizard of Oz could become a reality for the Netherlands. That’s right — with Storm Poly in our midst, flights are cancelled, and furniture is making a run for it. 

With the raging storm that’s been blowing in from the west at 120 kilometres per hour, we’re all instructed to reschedule weekend trips, stay home from work if possible, and take shelter from the “flying objects” outside, reports NOS.

Traffic, trees, and an unfortunate death

Many trees left horizontal by the storm have proved a life-threatening nuisance throughout the country, causing blocked entryways, closed schools, and power outages.

Poly’s death toll is currently one after a woman based in Haarlem was tragically killed by a tree when it fell on top of her car.

While Storm Poly is currently easing off the west of the Netherlands, the worst is still to come for provinces like Friesland in the north, reports NOS.

This morning there was an estimated 200 kilometres worth of traffic, particularly between The Hague and Amsterdam, as people fought their way into work, according to the ANWB. 

For the rest of July 5, there will be no trams in Amsterdam, thanks to a power outage affecting the overhead lines.

The A9 road shut down due to fallen branches, the A7 is now closed at Groningen, the A6 and A12 both have limited entry, while the north of the country, in particular, is suffering from train traffic.

Tunnels brimming with traffic may soon be flooded, and those summer festival tents are flipped on their backs — with one tent in Drachten wrecking a mosque in the process. Yikes.

Trust the Code Orange weather models, not your intuition 

The Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute (KNMI) has officially deemed Dutch weather to be in a state of Code Orange and Yellow, depending on location.

De komende uren zijn in het noorden van het land nog (zeer) zware windstoten (100-120 km/u) mogelijk,hiervoor geldt code oranje. #stormpoly. #knmiwaarschuwing https://t.co/dpPyZhecVg pic.twitter.com/bNR1gTvxqN

— KNMI (@KNMI) July 5, 2023

This means Storm Poly may very well cause further injuries, not to mention disruption, for places in Code Orange, including North Holland, Friesland, Flevoland and IJsselmeer.

As for the rest of the country, which is in Code Yellow, we should anticipate travel delays, among other obstacles this monstrous storm will pose to our daily lives and summer plans. 

Furniture might be flying, but Schiphol’s planes won’t be 😬

Yep, the Amsterdam Airport has officially announced that most departing and arriving flights on July 5 will either be cancelled entirely or extremely delayed. In fact, over 400 flights have been scrapped today thus far.

While this may seem dire, the alternative is flying through a Code Orange storm, so…🥴

Were you planning to catch a flight in the next 24 hours? Find out more about the updated departure schedule here.

Moving at lightning speed 

The storm is also eating through the country at an alarming pace, with winds moving up to 130 kilometres per hour. Watch out, because a seemingly innocent, windless clearing can end up at a level of wind force 8 within five minutes, reports RTL Nieuws. 

The odds of being struck by lightning might seem fairly low — but who would want to take the risk? Keep your eyes peeled for news updates, and please use some common sense. 

However, if you’re feeling like the apocalypse may be among us, maak je geen zorgen (don’t worry) as this weather warning is temporary.

Thursday will see the Netherlands graced with the sun again, as temperatures vary between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius this weekend. Feel free to postpone your beach day till then. 

What measures are you taking to ensure your safety during this storm? Share your tips in the comments below.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published July 4 but has been continually updated with the most relevant information.