Belgium issues red alert as heatwave pushes temperatures to 40°C
The Royal Meteorological Institute (IRM) has issued a red warning for Liège and Limbourg provinces on Friday, with temperatures expected to reach 40°C in the east, while thunderstorms threaten the weekend.
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.
- Coast
- 30 °C
- West
- 35 °C
- Centre
- 38 °C
- East
- 40 °C
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.
- Record 25 June temperature of 34.9°C; exceptionally warm night follows.
- Peak heat: up to 40°C in east, red alert for Liège and Limbourg, local storms possible.
- Widespread thunderstorms, possibly violent, temperatures still up to 39°C.
- Rain and storms from France, cooling to around 30°C.
- Further cooling to about 25°C, sunny spells and showers.
