After being hit by strong winds on Monday, temperatures will hover around freezing again in Belgium on Tuesday. More snow is expected – and this time in Brussels.
Bad weather has ravaged several European countries in recent days. In Belgium, Storm Floriane brought strong winds of up to 100 kilometres per hour (km/h). Parks and key areas in Brussels' city centre were closed off as a result. The poor conditions are expected to continue on Tuesday.
"Winds will be moderate to fairly strong from the southwest, with gusts of up to 65 km/h," the Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI) noted. Meanwhile, polar air hit Belgium on Monday, causing temperatures to plummet from around 12°C to a maximum of 5°C.
The Ardennes in southern Belgium is expecting snow on the peaks on Tuesday. Above 400 metres, 1-5 cm of snow may form. The RMI has therefore issued a code yellow weather warning for slipperiness in the provinces of Luxembourg and Liège all day until 19:00 on Tuesday.
City snow
Snow is also expected to fall in Brussels this week from Tuesday onwards. However, it will likely be sleet as temperatures will not drop below 3°C.
However, more snow will sweep across the country from the French border and is expected to fall in abundance from Wednesday evening until Thursday morning. "In the evening and at night, precipitation will intensify. Melting snow or possibly snow may then fall in large parts of the country," the RMI noted.
This may bring back memories of mid-January last year when 10 cm of snow fell in Brussels.
Credit: The Brussels Times
By Friday, the weather is expected to be drier, but it will remain cold. In the Ardennes, where maximum temperatures will be sub-zero, thick blankets of snow are expected – good news for lovers of snow sports.
Disruptive weather
An intense cold snap has been sweeping across the United Kingdom, Ireland and Germany in recent days, causing widespread disruption. In England, Manchester Airport's runways were temporarily closed on Monday due to the snowfall.
In northeast Scotland, around 80 schools closed following recent snowfall and dangerous icy patches forming on the roads. Poor weather conditions are due to continue in Scotland. A code yellow warning for snow and ice will remain in place in all of Northern Ireland, most of northern Scotland, western England and most of Wales on Tuesday.
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The cold weather also led to school closures in Ireland, where it disrupted the public transport network. It also left tens of thousands of homes and businesses without electricity and/or water. Supplies may not be restored for several days.
In Germany, heavy snow, black ice, freezing rain and strong winds hit the country overnight on Saturday, disrupting rail and air travel. On Monday, heavy rain combined with melting snow caused the Moselle in western Germany to burst its banks. Further rises are not ruled out over the course of the week.
