Today will be extremely hot with highs of 30 degrees in the coastal region, rising to 36 in the Ardennes and very locally even 38 degrees in the Flemish interior. Sunny conditions dominate, but cumulus cloud is possible here and there.

The chance of a thundery shower can’t be ruled out. There is hardly any wind from variable directions or from the south to southwest inland. In the coastal region, a moderate sea breeze picks up in the afternoon.

VRT weatherman Bram: ‘Heat record broken today’

The heat record for 1 July is being broken today, says VRT weatherman Bram Verbruggen. That record stood at 34.4 degrees, but with highs of up to 38 degrees Celsius in some places in the country, that record will definitely be smashed today. Bram explains Belgium is currently stuck in a heat dome. As predicted, in the course of Tuesday the 1 July heat record was broken.

‘Tomorrow expect similar weather, especially in the east of the country particularly hot air remains in place’. In the west temperatures will drop below 30 degrees. Showers will also arrive out West later in the day.  That should bring down the heat overnight on Thursday.

Second warmest June month on record

The past month of June proved exceptionally warm, dry and sunny. With an average temperature of 19.3 degrees at the headquarters of the Belgian Met Office in Ukkel (Brussels). Together with 2003 it was the second warmest June since records began in 1833.

Only June 2023 was even warmer with an average monthly temperature of 20.3 degrees.

Atomium closes early due to the heat

The Atomium, one of the landmarks of Brussels and a popular tourist destination, is closing to visitors as early as 2.30pm today and tomorrow due to the extreme heat. The temperature inside the spheres, made of stainless steel, can rise to extreme heights due to the heat.

The last visitors will be allowed in at 1pm. People who bought a ticket online can use it at a later date, until the end of the year.

It is only the second time in the history of the Atomium that the monument closes early due to the heat. The first time was in the summer of 2019.

Heat impacts on rail

Weather conditions are increasingly affecting train services in Belgium

Services are being cancelled due to the heat. Transport economist Thierry Vanelslander explains: ‘Our rail network and trains were never designed for the extreme weather conditions of cold and hot that we increasingly facing’.