The KNMI weather bureau on Wednesday issued a code yellow storm warning for all of the Netherlands on Thursday, saying winds of up to 130 kph will hit northern parts of the country.

Gale-force westerly winds are set to hit the country in the afternoon and early evening, just as the Netherlands prepares to celebrate Sinterklaas.

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.