The RMI announces an orange warning code in the afternoons in the provinces of Antwerp and Limburg due to thunderstorms. “We expect more than 40 liters of precipitation per square meter in 6 hours. Locally, there is a risk of hail and gusts of wind,” according to the RMI. Code orange will also come into effect in a number of Walloon provinces. Earlier today, code orange already applied in West and East Flanders due to flooding. The streets were flooded in Waregem, Sint-Baafs-Vijve, Zulte and Lievegem, among others.
“At the beginning of this afternoon, a wave of locally intense showers, sometimes accompanied by thunderstorms, will pass over our country. This will be followed by another series of fairly active showers and thunderstorms from France. In several regions south of Sambre and Maas and as well as in the provinces of Limburg and Antwerp, we expect more than 40 liters of rain per square meter in 6 hours. Locally, there is a risk of hail and gusts of wind,” according to the RMI. “The precipitation zone is going to intensify. It is possible that a lot of rain can fall in a short time, and that it will continue to rain on the spot. That can cause problems locally”, VTM weatherwoman Jill Peeters predicted earlier. However, the weatherwoman no longer expects heavy precipitation everywhere. “It’s a bit of an all-or-nothing story: gentle rain in some places, intense persistent showers in other places.”
Code orange applies to Limburg, Antwerp, Liège, Namur and Luxembourg. In other places it is code yellow still in effect. There will also be showers, possibly accompanied by thunder, and about 10 to 30 liters per square meter of rain is expected. The more to the west, the more the shower inclination decreases.
Streets empty
The showers continued to hang between West and East Flanders this morning, weather woman Jill Peeters told VTM Nieuws. “That was accompanied by thunderstorms, more than 40 liters per square metre. At some measuring points, that is more than they had to process in the entire month of May,” it sounds.
In the area around Lievegem in the Meetjesland near Ghent, there has been a lot of flooding due to the heavy rainfall in recent hours. Several streets are flooded and houses are in danger of being flooded. The fire brigade has already made 60 interventions on Sunday morning, but expects to be busy pumping away the water all day.
Weatherman David Dehenauw warned on Sunday morning of a lot of precipitation in a short time, which could cause flooding in certain places. “Because the wind is not really strong, it is also possible that such a shower will linger for a longer period of time,” it sounds. Locally, 30 liters of water per square meter can fall, or even more.
The number 1722 is activated for non-urgent interventions by the fire brigade. The easiest way to request a fire service intervention is via the digital counter 1722.be† You can also call 1722. The emergency number 112 is only intended for potentially life-threatening situations.
It is impossible to predict in advance where and when the thunderstorm will strike most violently, although Dehenauw does advise people to RMI app to install. “In the app you can indicate your place of residence, after which you will receive a notification when we see that severe thunderstorms are expected in your municipality in the next half hour,” explains the KMI weatherman.
In the course of the afternoon it will become drier first in the southwest and then in the west, Dehenauw predicts. Towards the evening it becomes quieter everywhere, although there is still a chance of rain and thunderstorms, especially in the center and the east. The mercury drops to temperatures between 10 and 13 degrees.
Until this time applies code yellow in your province
• West Flanders: from Saturday 11 p.m. to Sunday 5 p.m.
• East Flanders, Flemish Brabant, Brussels and Antwerp: from Sunday 2 am to 9 pm
† Limburg: from Sunday 8 am to 11 pm
What does ‘code yellow’ mean?
In case of code yellow, the RMI warns to be ‘vigilant’. A code yellow can be proclaimed for a maximum of 48 hours for the weather phenomenon in question and when there is at least 65 percent certainty that the criteria are met. In this case, a warning is given for thunderstorms with a lot of precipitation in a short time: up to 30 liters of precipitation per square meter in 1 hour.
The fact that code orange was also announced in two provinces is due to the persistent rain in several places: more than 40 liters of precipitation per square meter is expected in 6 hours.
15,000 people without electricity in France
The thunderstorm is the result of a series of heavy rain and thunderstorms that move over our country from France. The storm on Saturday in Rouen cost the life of a woman, who got stuck in her car and was dragged by the water. “The storm will be less severe here, as the temperature is slightly lower here and there are no strong storms. We don’t have to fear hail showers either,” reassures Dehenauw.
Did you take pictures of the flooding? Send them to us via [email protected]
There are still 15,000 people without electricity, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin confirms. Darmanin also reported thirteen minor injuries and two serious injuries, including a 13-year-old girl.
After the weekend
Monday the light remains unstable, with a few showers in the morning. In the afternoon it will become cloudy, with a chance of (thunder) showers especially in the northwest and north. The maximums range from 16 to 21 degrees.
Tuesday it will be changeable with clear spells and a few showers, while there Wednesday a fairly active rain zone is expected. In the course of the day it will pass over the land from the west. Thursday and Friday it should be dry more often (with a chance of a local shower).
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