2023-06-01 14:56:00
In recent years, we have unfortunately become accustomed to seeing temperature records being shattered. We obviously think of summer heat waves and its heat waves, but records are also broken during autumn and winter. A recent example is obviously the 16.3 degrees reached on New Year’s Day 2023. In fact, experts have been warning for years regarding these extreme weather events which do not only include a rise in temperatures, but also exceptional events, such as violent thunderstorms and intense rainy episodes, such as during the floods of 2021.
But, more generally, we have noticed another change in Belgium in recent years. The variable “Belgian” weather that goes from good to bad in a few hours seems to be changing, giving way to a succession of blockages that can last a few weeks. “We have been witnessing this change for several years, and it is more marked from 2015notes Pascal Mormal, meteorologist at the IRM. We are moving away somewhat from the natural variability of the climate that normally characterizes Belgium. Our country is historically subject to oceanic weather which can be subject to various influences, and therefore change rapidly. From now on, we see rather long periods settling. This applies to hot and dry periods in summer, but also rainy and/or cool periods.”
The most telling example is obviously the summer of 2021, which had been exceptionally cool and wet, but it is enough to look at the last few months to see other examples. We thus remember the cold period of a small month from the end of November to December 17, when the sun predominated. “In the process, we were treated to a month where it rained every day without exception, while breaking temperature records, reminds the meteorologist. Then, there was a long dry period from January 17 to March 3. We were talking regarding drought problems at the time, by the way. Then, we had a very rainy two-month period until May 13th. Since then, we are witnessing a new blockage with dry weather that will last at least another 10 days.”
Episodes that can be problematic. “We are already seeing problems of drought reaching the surface while the water tables are well filled. In the other direction, rains that are too concentrated in a few weeks can cause other problems, as in 2021”, he underlines.
Our very Belgian weather is therefore busy changing more profoundly than we think.
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