Hottest 11 June on record with more hot weather to come

Heat records are being broken this week in Belgium as temperatures climb past 30°C in places.

A 2006 record for the hottest 11 June (30.2°C) was broken on Sunday afternoon at 15.00, when the temperature climbed to 30.4°C at the Uccle station, eventually peaking at 31.2°C.

The final reading for that Sunday set a new daily heat record since measurements began in 1892.

The situation will not be cooling down soon, either. After a hot and sunny weekend, the week brings more of the same.

Tuesday is mostly sunny with temperatures reaching 23°C along the coast and 27-28°C elsewhere.

Wednesday will be partly cloudy but dry, with maximum temperatures between 22-23°C in the upper Ardennes and 27-28°C in most other parts of the country.

Thursday will finally bring cloud cover and perhaps a few showers, with highs still between 22-28°C.

On Friday, the sun will be back in full force but highs will fall slightly to between 19-26°C, followed by another hot and sunny weekend where temperatures could once again climb to 30°C.

The hot weather has prompted a yellow alert from the Belgian weather authority, RMI, which warns of a heatwave with temperatures of up to 31°C degrees in places.

Some are taking advantage: an estimated 300,000 visitors flocked to the Belgian coast over the weekend and hotels boasted an occupancy rate of 90%, according to the Westtoer provincial tourism office.

To cope with the expected crowds, Belgian railway company SNCB chartered extra trains to Ostend and Blankenberge.

“It's busy but manageable – the extra trains that took people to the sea stayed behind to take them home in the evening,” explained a spokesperson.

But because the hot weather came earlier than expected - the tourist season does not officially start until 15 June - there were no lifeguards on scene and no one to empty rubbish bins, meaning litter was overflowing.

“There is rubbish everywhere,” one tourist told RTBF. “Even in the water we found rubbish. I think people are getting dirtier and dirtier.”

“Pick-ups are organised, but we don't yet know what arrangements will be put in place this summer,” explained a spokesperson for the waste removal authority.

“We're doing everything we can, but we can't do the impossible.”

Photo: Maaike Tijssens/Belga