Heat wave: Code Orange weather alert for 36°C temps takes effect on Wednesday
The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) has issued a code orange warning for extreme heat beginning Wednesday at 12:00 p.m. for all the provinces, except Friesland, Drenthe, and Groningen. In those three, code yellow will remain.
KNMI said code orange is being issued because it expects temperatures of at least 34 degrees Celsius for three consecutive days. In some cases, code orange is also issued when two days reach 36 degrees or, in rare instances, when a single day reaches 38 degrees. The day when the warning trend will stop has not yet been determined.
The meteorological institute stressed that the warning applies to everyone. At these temperatures, anyone can experience heat-related health problems such as dehydration and overheating. Older adults, people with underlying health conditions, and those performing physically demanding work are considered especially vulnerable.
Between 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., KNMI advises against strenuous physical activity. Activities and public events should be adjusted accordingly, including outdoor work.
Authorities are urging residents to avoid direct sunlight and drink plenty of water, even if they do not feel thirsty. People are also advised to check on individuals who may need assistance, as well as pets, which are particularly sensitive to heat.
Residents are urged to keep homes as cool as possible by using sunshades and keeping windows and doors closed during the day, while ventilating early in the morning before temperatures rise.
Drivers are advised to carry sufficient water, ensure their phones are fully charged, and check vehicle coolant levels. Authorities continue to warn that children and animals must never be left inside parked cars, even for a few minutes, due to severe health risks.
The institute also linked the extreme heat to broader climate trends. “Yesterday I made a map showing days above 35 degrees in the Netherlands. That happens in many more years this century, and the temperatures are also really much higher,” said KNMI climate expert Peter Siegmund told NOS. “That is due to wind from southern Europe, where it is strongly warming due to climate change. The tropics are shifting northward, and this is also a symptom of that.”
The temperature on Monday even topped 35 degrees in one part of the Netherlands, with the weather station showing 35.1 degrees in a village in Leudal, Limburg, according to WeerOnline. Breaking past the 35-degree mark qualifies for a declaration of a “very hot day” in the record books, though Monday will only go down as such at a local level.
Very hot days used to be extremely rare in the Netherlands, happening only once every ten years on average, the weather website stated. Global warming has changed things substantially; now a very hot day happens once every 18 months. Nationally, weather records are measured in De Bilt, Utrecht, a centrally located point that is also home to the KNMI.
The last national very hot day took place on July 1. It was scorching hot that date and the following in Maastricht, where thermometers displayed 39.0 degrees, according to WeerOnline.
The temperature peaked at 26.5 degrees in De Bilt on Monday. It was likely to hit 30 degrees on Tuesday and 35 degrees on Wednesday.
If that happens, it means two official very hot days in the Netherlands in less than a year. The possibility remains for the same high temperature both Thursday and Friday in the Utrecht municipality.
