The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) will soon warn app users about local heavy thunderstorms. Starting next week, people will receive a notification if a heavy shower is expected at their location within fifteen minutes. The institute explains that these alerts apply only to heavy thunderstorms that can cause disruption, rather than all rain showers.
Until now, the KNMI has issued warnings per province, but thunderstorms usually affect much smaller areas. These new updates will run alongside the existing weather warnings using yellow, orange, and red codes.
The KNMI says the new notification option is a first step toward more local warnings, made possible by a recent change in the law.
To receive the alerts, users must update the app and enable the function in their settings. The feature works for both saved locations and the live locations of users who choose to share them. The system is still under development, and the institute welcomes user feedback.
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