Heatwave: orange alert in Flanders

The weather in Belgium lately has been very warm and dry. The past few weeks the heat in Brussels has grown intense, and everyday life is a bit slower. In periods like this, when there’s almost no rain, it is up to the public authorities to try to manage the use of water in order to save it. This is why the Flemish authorities have decided to activate the “Orange alert” at the beginning of last week.

What does it mean exactly?

The “orange alert” of course doesn’t prevent residents from taking showers and use the water they need for their daily needs, but they are not allowed to use the running water, the groundwater or rain water in order to water their garden or wash their cars. This measure is not only focused on the residents, as the public institutions are subject to the same provisions.

We still do not know how much time this measure will be in force. In case the weather is a bit better this weekend, the Flemish authorities might withdraw the alert, so that residents can take care of their gardens.

 

Colder this weekend.

The rain is expected to come back, and as of Saturday, the temperatures have been lower. However, it could be a “short break”, as the end of next week could be very warm too.

Not exceptional.

Although you might think Belgium is only cold, this is actually not true. The temperatures are basically above 30°C a couple of days per year. Should you be interested in having an overall picture on the highest temperatures recorded since 1901, you can visit this website.