The temperature at the KNMI in De Bilt rose to above 30 degrees on Thursday afternoon. As a result, this is the first rural tropical day of this month, but meteorologists expect that it is only the beginning of a particularly hot period.
Both Weerplaza and the KNMI expect that it will remain tropical warm until next Wednesday, with temperatures up to 34 degrees.
The first national heat wave is probably already a fact on Sunday, meteorologist Diana Woei of Weerplaza told NU.nl. “Then it would have been hot for five days in summer, with temperatures between 25 and 34 degrees.”
That is exceptional, says Woei: according to Weerplaza data, the month of August only yields one tropical day on average. “This year it will be six or seven.”
The majority of the regions are unique. Since the measurements started, there have been no five consecutive tropical days, Woei explains.
Heat plan activated in all provinces
The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) activated the National Heat Plan on Thursday because of the announced temperatures. The plan serves as a warning of heat and the risks this can entail, and asks the Dutch to pay extra attention to each other.
The tropical heat continues through Wednesday. After that it stays warm, but it does cool a few degrees, so that ‘only’ summer temperatures are involved. When the mercury drops below 25 degrees, the heat wave is officially over.
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