The past three spring months were much drier than average in Belgium: only 54.4 mm of precipitation fell in the measuring station in Uccle – the second-lowest since observations began in 1833. Only in 1893 was there less precipitation.
Over the past three months, precipitation fell on only 20 days – a new absolute record. Normally, the number of rainy days is over double that, at 43.5 days. The previous record was 23 days (1880, 2020 and 2022), according to the Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI) in a general climatological overview.
This year, most precipitation fell in Uccle on 27 May (daily total of 14.3 mm). Last spring, nowhere did precipitation volumes reach at least 40 mm.
Temperatures were also above normal for most of the spring: the average temperature for the spring months in Uccle is 11.8 °C (normal 10.5°C). This is the third-highest value since measurements began in 1833.
Warm and stormy
Additionally, the average maximum temperature (16.9°C) is also the third highest value since observations began in 1892.
The three spring months in Uccle were also much sunnier than average: March and April were each the third-sunniest months for the current reference period (averages for the period 1991-2020) and May was also very sunny. With a total of more than 688 hours of sunshine, it was the third sunniest spring since observations began.
Lastly, the RMI recorded 13 thunderstorm days last spring, equalling the record for the current reference period. Uccle also equalled the record for the lowest average wind speed (3.2 m/s).
