Hottest day of the year: Temperatures up to 34.3 degrees in the Netherlands

It is officially the warmest July 8 since measurements began in 1901, Weeronline reports. At 3:10 p.m., the temperature in De Bilt rose to 31.9 degrees. The old record was 31.6 degrees, measured in 1959.

It is also the hottest day of the year so far. Until Saturday, June 11 was the hottest day, when it was 32.2 degrees in Hoek van Holland.

In general, it is also quite warm in the rest of the country, with afternoon temperatures well above 30 degrees. At 2:30 p.m., for instance, the temperature in Eindhoven reached 34.3 degrees, Weeronline reports. Never before has it been so warm at a KNMI measuring station on July 8. The previous record for this date was set in Gilze-Rijen in 1959.

In large parts of the country, it was tropically warm with 29 to 34 degrees. Only on the Wadden Islands, the temperature remained below the 30-degree mark. According to the weather service, the hot weather is caused by a southeast wind that blows very warm and dry air from the continent into the Netherlands.

Furthermore, the national weather institute KNMI has issued code yellow for the southern provinces of Zeeland, Noord-Brabant, and Limburg. In these provinces, a thunderstorm with severe gusts of 70 kilometers per hour may develop on Saturday afternoon. On Saturday evening, the showers will dissipate again.

On Sunday, Weeronline expects rain and thunderstorms, especially in the south of the country. KNMI has issued a code yellow for the part of the day between 1 p.m. and 9 p.m. The thunderstorms, rain, as well as hail showers will come from the southwest, move north across the country and possibly cause local flooding. Furthermore, thunderstorms may be followed by wind gusts with speeds between 75 and 100 kilometers per hour.

After the weekend it will still be warm with 22 to 28 degrees on Monday. On Tuesday however, it can become tropical again in the southeast with 30 degrees or more. As a result, the south and southeast even risk a regional heat wave. From Wednesday, the weather will be changeable with 20 to 24 degrees, Weeronline reported.