Warmest August 13 on record in the Netherlands; storm Ernesto could turn into hurricane

Never before has it been as warm in the Netherlands on August 13 as it was on Tuesday, Weeronline reported. It was 34.9 degrees Celsius in Nieuw Beerta, in Groningen, at 4:40 p.m. The former record was 34.5 degrees and was measured in 2020 in Volkel.

It is also the highest temperature of the year so far. Tuesday was not an official heat record for this date in De Bilt. It has been 30.7 degrees there so far. The record at the main weather station is 32.1 degrees and was measured in 1997.

According to Weeronline, the tropical heat is over temporarily after today. Rain and thunderstorms will drive the heat out of the country in the coming evening and night. The weather institute, the KNMI, has issued a code yellow in connection with the expected showers. The chance of showers is most significant in the east, where a lot of rain can fall quickly. The showers will continue on Wednesday morning.

Weeronline reported that tropical storm Ernesto, which will pass the Windward Islands in the coming days, may grow into a second-category hurricane when it reaches Bermuda on the weekend.

The storm is currently located southeast of the Windward Islands and will pass close to Saba and Sint Eustatius on Tuesday afternoon (local time), according to Weeronline. A lot of rain is expected on all islands in a short period of time. Locally, it could be 150 millimeters. Saba and Sint Eustatius will probably receive slightly more rain than Sint Maarten. There is a chance of nuisance due to flooding and mudslides.

Ernesto will pass over Puerto Rico on Wednesday, according to the weather bureau. The storm is also expected to cause a lot of nuisance there. The storm will then move further east of the Bahamas while increasing in strength. The Bermuda archipelago will have to deal with Ernesto over the weekend.