While there is still a slight frost in the air in the Belgian capital and temperatures are just below zero, the situation on the roads remained calm during the morning rush: there is little to no black ice on the roads, according to Brussels Mobility.
A snow zone passed over Belgium on Wednesday and Thursday. While it is gradually getting drier, the Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI) has issued a code yellow for slipperiness until 13:00 across Belgium. "This morning it is freezing in most places. After yesterday's precipitation, roads are still sufficiently moist and there is still local snow that can freeze and also cause slippery spots."
In Brussels, a complete gritting operation was carried out on the main roads last night between 02:00 and 06:00, said Brussels Mobility spokesperson Camille Thiry. "Just after 07:00, the entire network was relatively okay. But be careful on the secondary roads and on the pavements. The temperatures are going to be in the negatives for most of the day, so icy patches are still possible."
Should the situation become more complicated over the course of the day, Brussels Mobility is ready to carry out another gritting operation if necessary.
A landscape with snow as Belgium is having snowy winter weather today, in Bertem, Thursday 09 January 2025. Credit: Belga/Dirk Waem
The situation is calm in Flanders as well, according to the Road and Traffic Agency. "It is quiet, but the roads are still freezing. Even the cycle paths are slippery."
"Our gritting services have been deployed in all provinces where it was necessary to grit salt again, but the water lying on the road can re-freeze," a spokesperson said. "There does not have to be snow to have a chance of slipperiness. It is important to remain vigilant throughout the morning, as the road surface temperature will only rise above 0 after noon."
While no precipitation has been announced in Flanders for the next few days, the risk of slipperiness remains. "The water that is frozen now will melt today. But it may also freeze again if the temperature still drops below 0."
Flooding in Wallonia
In Wallonia, meanwhile, the River Ourthe in the province of Luxembourg burst its banks on Thursday due to heavy rainfall in the preceding hours. Several campsites along the river were flooded.
The river burst its banks on Thursday in Hotton, where the water covered a large part of the Ile de l'Oneux in the centre of the village. Run-off water flooded homes in the Rue Chavée area of Hampteau. By the end of the day on Thursday, the river was only a few centimetres above the road linking the centre of Hotton to the village of Melreux.
According to the forecasts, the river level could rise by a further 10 to 30 centimetres over the next few hours.
