Code orange for thunderstorms extended to Brussels

Code orange for thunderstorms extended to Brussels
Credit: Ugo Realfonzo / The Brussels Times

The Royal Meteorological Institute (KMI) has extended the code orange warning for thunderstorms and intense rain expected on Friday to Brussels.

Early on Friday morning, a warning was issued for Liège and Luxembourg in the southeast of the country, however, it has now been extended to include Brussels, as well as the provinces Limburg, Flemish Brabant, Brussels, Namur and Walloon Brabant.

"From noon until 19:00 on Friday, an intense rain and thunderstorm zone will move from the southwest to the northeast across our country. The thunderstorms may also be accompanied by very heavy wind gusts and hail locally," a recent warning from KMI read.

It added that the heaviest storms are expected in the centre and east of the country.

Code yellow to orange

Code orange is issued when rainfall of 31-50 mm in one hour or 41-60 mm in six hours is expected, or gusts of at least 90 km/h. These criteria are expected to be met in various provinces based on new information, but thunderstorms may also be intense elsewhere on a local level, the centre warned.

Earlier today, the Bois de La Cambre was already closed by the Brussels Region Police due to adverse weather conditions expected throughout the day and in anticipation of the damage it could cause.

On Thursday, when code yellow was issued across the country, the thunderstorms already caused damage in several places in Belgium, however, morerain is expected today, and gusts are predicted to be stronger.

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According to the KMI, it will become calmer and dry from the west with widening clouds towards the end of the afternoon. The wind will become moderate in the west from northwest to west, while elsewhere it will first be moderate to fairly strong southwest. During the night, the wind is expected to lose strength, however, it will remain quite strong at the coast.

Saturday it will remain dry with an alternation of clouds and clear skies in the morning, and the sun will make regular appearances in the afternoon.


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