Code yellow weather alerts have been issued for Wednesday afternoon and Thursday as heavy rain and strong winds are expected. The Royal Meteorological Institute (IRM) warned that two active rain zones are approaching.
"On Wednesday afternoon, a first precipitation zone reaches the country from the coast and will not leave until Thursday morning," the RMI noted. Another precipitation zone will then arrive from France on Thursday afternoon.
This second precipitation zone will bring high winds and rain and combine with cold air from the jetstream to bring greater instability.
A code yellow has therefore been put in place for rainfall from Wednesday at 15:00 until Thursday night (23:00) in the provinces of Hainaut, Namur and Luxembourg. The rain zone will spread over the rest of the country with precipitation over 24 hours expected to be between 10 and 20 mm in the centre and north of the country, and between 20 and 40 mm or locally more south of the Sambre and Meuse.
Over the entire warning period, between 40 and 60 mm is expected in the Ardennes (Semois basin). In the French Ardennes, a more severe code yellow warning for floods has been issued.
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The RMI also warned of moderately strong to strong winds (5 to 6 Beaufort), possibly rising to 7 Beaufort on the coast. "The most intense gusts will come in the afternoon and evening and will be around 80 or 90 km/h." Code yellow will be in place for wind across the entire country.
In Brussels, gusts of over 80km/h are expected, prompting Brussels Environment to close parks, including the Forêt de Soignes, on Thursday from 15:00. Notices will be posted at the entrances. The public is also advised to avoid driving near trees. The restrictions are due to be lifted on Friday morning, after any necessary efforts to clean debris and make spaces safe.
