The third storm to hit Belgium in the space of three weeks left limited damage in its wake, giving emergency services some respite as it heralds in a week of wind and snow.
On Sunday, Brussels firefighters said they carried out a total of 15 interventions, mostly involving objects swept up by Storm Ellen's winds, which forecasts said could reach up to 90 km/h.
Firefighters in Wallonia said the number of interventions had also been "limited," with crews in Liège reporting around 30 intervention with an additional 20 reported in Hainaut, RTBF reports.
Storm Ellen arrived as cities across Belgium were still recovering from the passage of Storm Dennis, which hit the country only one weekend after Storm Ciara's violent gusts left extensive damage behind.
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While the damage it caused was less severe, Storm Ellen lead to the cancellation of the last leg of the 2019/2020 CrossCup championships, set to take place on Sunday, with organisers saying the cross country race in Laeken would be postponed.
Weather services warned that Belgium could still be rocked by strong winds throughout the week, starting from Monday afternoon when forecasts said rain and wind gusts of up to 80 km/h could be expected.
The storm's passage will also herald in chillier weather, with the Royal Meteorological Service (RMI) saying that snow flurries could be expected in the highest points of the country, such as the Ardennes.
With temperatures forecast to climb no further than 9 degrees Celcius this week, the RMI said that other parts of Belgium could also see slush or hail and that there would be some risk of sleet and thundering.
Gabriela Galindo
The Brussels Times
