Thunderstorms, hail and strong winds: code yellow issued across Belgium

Thunderstorms, hail and strong winds: code yellow issued across Belgium
Credit: Belga

The Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI) has issued a warning for the whole of Belgium on Sunday, as quite intense showers are expected in the coming hours, which may be accompanied by thunderstorms, hail or locally strong gusts of wind.

On Sunday morning and Sunday evening, 'code yellow' will apply in all provinces. The rainfall will intensify during the day, and in some places, more than 10 litres of rain per square metre may fall in one hour.

Additionally, hail and gale-force winds are also to be expected. Temperature highs are expected between 11°C in the High Fens and locally 16°C elsewhere.

On Sunday night, the chance of showers remains high with an increasingly strong wind. The minimum temperatures are expected to lie between 6 and 10 degrees.

Additionally, while it has been raining for a while, the showers are not saving Belgium's too-low groundwater level, as it is "raining too hard" for that, according to VRT weather reporter Frank Deboosere.

On Saturday, the Netherlands announced that the "severe drought is as good as over," with the groundwater level at a normal level in the country, but Belgium will have to wait a little longer.

"In fact, not much rain has fallen," Deboosere said. "They were mainly heavy downpours, but those did not fall everywhere."

What Belgium needs, according to him, is continuous rain over a number of days. "If it rains hard, a lot of it immediately washes away, and then we lose almost all of it."

Lastly, changeable weather is expected on Monday, sometimes with intense showers that can be accompanied by thunderstorms. Temperatures will remain cool, with maxima between 11 degrees in the High Ardennes and locally 16 degrees elsewhere.


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