Belgians rush to coast as temperatures soar

2 May 2005

BRUSSELS – Belgium is enjoying unusually good weather, according to the latest figures from meteorologists.

On Monday, La Derniere Heure reported that the month of April saw an average temperature of 10.7 degrees, above the normal pattern of 9 degrees.

The Royal Meteorological Institute said that that kind of rise in the temperature only occurs about ever six years.

April’s minimum temperature was 6.6 degrees, compared to the usual 5 degrees. The highest temperatures reached averages of 14.7, in line with recent years.

Sunday – 1 May – saw particularly summer weather in Belgium, with the temperature exceeding 30 degrees in some places.

The highest recorded temperature was in Deurne and Kleine Brogel where 30.6 degrees was registered in the shade.

As a result, Belgians rushed to the coast, leading to traffic jams on many roads over the weekend.

Hotels near Belgian beaches were 85 to 90 percent full, according to Knokke-Heist’s tourist office.

The resort about 100km from Brussels recorded an average of 40 cars a minute arriving in the town on Sunday afternoon.

On Monday, meteorologists also pointed out that the last four weeks have seen an abnormally gentle wind, which was last recorded back in 1984.

Normally, wind-speed averages 3.7 metres per second, but this year it dropped to 3 metres per second.

Other meteorological indicators remained constant, with 121 hours 40 minutes of sunshine, 17 days of rain and 46.1 l of rain per metre squared.

Subject: Belgian news