Belgium faces driest year in nearly 50 years

BRUSSELS

Belgium is on track to record its driest year in nearly 50 years, according to data released on Friday by the Royal Meteorological Institute (KMI), marking a sharp contrast with 2024, which was the wettest year since measurements began.

With only 615.9 millimeters of precipitation recorded in Uccle as of Dec. 18, 2025, it is expected to become the driest year since 1976, even if rainfall increases slightly in the final days of the year, Flemish-language broadcaster VRT reported.

The country has seen rain on just 143 days so far this year, well below the long-term average of 190 days. In comparison, nearly twice as much rainfall was recorded in Uccle in 2024, highlighting the growing volatility of weather patterns.

"This kind of extreme weather will occur more frequently in the coming years due to climate disruption," meteorologist Sabine Hagedoren said.

The dryness was largely driven by an exceptionally dry spring, which ranked as the second driest since observations began in 1833. By late March, several nature reserves were already placed under red alert due to heightened wildfire risk, while authorities introduced water-saving measures amid fears of shortages.

2025 is also shaping up to be one of the warmest years ever recorded in Belgium. The average temperature in Uccle currently stands at 12.3 C (54.14 F), slightly exceeding the previous records set in 2020 and 2023.

However, with several days remaining in the year, the KMI expects the final average to settle at around 12 C, placing 2025 joint fourth among the warmest years since 1833.

While 2025 may not break overall heat records, it did set a new benchmark for the earliest summer day ever recorded. On April 12, temperatures reached 25.3 C, the earliest occurrence of such heat since measurements began.

The hottest day of the year was July 1, when temperatures peaked at 35.9 C in Uccle. The coldest day occurred on Jan. 14, with temperatures dropping to minus 4 C.

Sunshine levels were also above average, with nearly 1,800 hours of sunshine recorded in Uccle, making it the fourth sunniest year of the past 35 years.

BRUSSELS

"This kind of extreme weather will occur more frequently in the coming years due to climate disruption," meteorologist Sabine Hagedoren said.

However, with several days remaining in the year, the KMI expects the final average to settle at around 12 C, placing 2025 joint fourth among the warmest years since 1833.

The hottest day of the year was July 1, when temperatures peaked at 35.9 C in Uccle. The coldest day occurred on Jan. 14, with temperatures dropping to minus 4 C.

Sunshine levels were also above average, with nearly 1,800 hours of sunshine recorded in Uccle, making it the fourth sunniest year of the past 35 years.