Belgium issues red alert as heatwave pushes temperatures to 40°C

Record-breaking heat

Belgium recorded its hottest 25 June on Thursday, with the temperature reaching 34.9°C, more than a degree above the previous record of 33.6°C set in 1976. The night that followed was exceptionally warm, with minima of 21 to 25°C across most regions and some urban areas struggling to drop below 26 or 27°C. That put the all-time warmest night record of 24.4°C (4 July 2015) at risk.

Peak heat and red alert

Friday is the hottest day of the week. The IRM expects 35°C in the west, 38°C in the centre, and up to 40°C in the eastern provinces of Liège and Limbourg, while the coast stays around 30°C. A red alert is in force for Liège and Limbourg, only the third such warning in Belgian history. The rest of the country, except the coast, is under an orange alert.

“It is precisely this 40°C threshold that can trigger an IRM red warning.”

Coast30

West35

Centre38

East40

Coast

30 °C

West

35 °C

Centre

38 °C

East

40 °C

Data from the article text

Health and public response

At the CHU de Liège emergency department, activity has risen by 20% because of the heat. Staff are ventilating treatment bays and relaxing the usual strict fasting rules to let patients drink sooner. The governor of Liège province has issued an order covering events through Sunday, a weekend busy with festivities, and the city of Liège will send a BE-Alert message to residents about heat risks.

“We ensure ventilation of boxes if possible. Regarding the strict fasting conditions we usually apply where we ask the patient not to drink or eat, we will be a bit more lax and more quickly allow patients to drink.”

Thunderstorms ahead

Localised thunderstorms may develop on Friday afternoon or evening, especially in the east, with a risk of hail and wind gusts. On Saturday, a thermal depression moving from France to the Netherlands will bring more widespread storms, possibly violent, with hail and strong gusts. Temperatures will remain very high, reaching 39°C in the east and 29°C on the coast. Sunday will see further rain and storms arriving from France, with maximums falling to around 30°C.

Cooling next week

From Monday to Wednesday, sunshine will alternate with clouds and a few showers are possible. City-centre maximums will settle around 25°C, bringing an end to the intense heat.