Next few days' weather could hold 'bad surprises': 'Rare temperatures' expected

Belgium is bracing for continued unseasonable heat, with temperatures on Thursday nearing 35°C and a new daily record set in Uccle. Meteorologist Pascal Mormal of the Royal Meteorological Institute (IRM) noted that current temperatures are 11 to 12°C above seasonal averages, a considerable anomaly. Friday is also predicted to be very hot, potentially approaching 35°C in some places, breaking the August 14 record of 31.9°C.

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We are with temperatures 11 to 12°C above the seasonal averages. That is considerable.

Mormal emphasized that while people might be getting accustomed to temperatures around 33-34°C, these remain rare for this time of year, especially as average maximum temperatures typically begin to decrease. The situation is expected to become difficult before a change arrives.

The good news is that this intense heat is not expected to last indefinitely. A shift is anticipated with thunderstorms forecast for Saturday, though Mormal cautioned that these will not affect the entire country uniformly. While no region is completely safe from the storms, widespread rain is not expected, with showers and thunderstorms likely remaining localized.

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We almost get used to temperatures of 33 or 34°C, but we must understand that this remains relatively rare.

Models currently do not predict massive rainfall totals or particularly violent phenomena over the next 72 hours, but Mormal advised caution, as unexpected "bad surprises" can occur in such weather patterns. The weekend will be more variable, with relatively warm temperatures on Saturday before the mercury begins to drop on Sunday, settling around 25°C, offering a more comfortable climate.

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No region is completely safe, but that absolutely does not mean it will rain everywhere.

Early next week, temperatures are expected to fall further, potentially reaching around 23°C and even 21-22°C later in the week, bringing conditions more in line with seasonal norms. While rain might become more regular, quantities are expected to remain moderate. Mormal warned that these rains might only slightly alleviate the drought, and it's uncertain if the country will emerge from the dry spell by the end of next week. A minor possibility of another heatwave around August 22 exists, but the dominant trend points towards more typical Belgian weather.

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For now, the models do not show gigantic accumulations over the next 72 hours, nor a signal that suggests particularly violent phenomena, but we must remain cautious, because in this type of situation, we can sometimes have bad surprises.