Elsenborn (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Last night marked the coldest temperatures of the season, with Elsenborn in the East Cantons plunging to -15.5°C. Other regions also experienced freezing conditions, including Kleine-Brogel at -7.4°C, Deurne at -6.2°C, and Ostend at -2.5°C.
As David Dehenauw from the Royal Meteorological Institute (KMI) said:
In Elsenborn, it ended at -15.5 and in Ukkel at -3.9. Still, in Zeebrugge, it was only slightly positive at 0.2.
However, it was also reported that such weather will not be repeated this January, and the forecasts point to relatively warmer weather conditions.
Last night, the frost of winter was at its peak in Belgium as Elsenborn recorded a temperature of -15.5° C. However, the outlook for January is less severe, with a maximum of 5 ° C, and there will be no rain in the next two weeks.
According to Dehenauw,
In January, we will most likely not reach that -15 anymore, but we cannot say much about February at the moment.
According to the KMI, the next two weeks will continue to be dry and mild under high pressure, with maximum temperatures in most places reaching 5 degrees above zero and frequent frosts at night.
Today, the weather will be relatively mild, with partly sunny and dry weather and with fields of high clouds; maximum temperatures will vary between 0 to + 3 degrees Celsius in the coast region and between 6-7 degrees Celsius at sea. A few showers and patches of fog may be expected at night, especially over the southern half, where there could be a risk of freezing drizzle on frozen surfaces.
As head of Head of Forecasting KMI/IRM, David Dehenauw posted on his X handle:
Elsenborn was knocked out at -15.5, Ukkel at -3.9. Only in the port of Zeebrugge did it remain just positive at 0.2 (station almost completely surrounded by water).
Résultats finaux : Elsenborn -15,5 degrés, Uccle -3,9. Du gel généralisé sauf dans le port de Zeebruges (0,2) mais la station est quasiment entièrement entourée de l’eau.
— David Dehenauw (@DDehenauw) January 14, 2025
As for the future, Wednesday will be mainly overcast with fog and slight precipitation, with a maximum range from 2 in the High Ardennes to 8 in the West. Thursday will be even more ambiguous, at least at the beginning of the day, though it may become partly cloudy later throughout the day with no precipitation and max’s between 2 and 6 degrees. There is a possibility of freezing fog or low clouds on Friday; some areas to be sunny with temperatures ranging between 0 and 5 degrees.
Understanding Belgium’s winter weather patterns
January is usually a cold and damp month in Belgium, and most of this period is spent with overcast skies and rain. January typically has moderate snow for about 7 days, but this year has been colder by 1.7 degrees Celsius than the historical data. The temperature is warmer around the beginning of the month before beginning to drop: the mean temperature would be approximately 7.6 degrees Celsius by the start of the following month.
The last episode of cold weather actually resulted from polar air masses covering most of Europe and brought sharp frost and icy conditions in Belgium. The KMI issued a warning as to the slippery road conditions that might result from freezing fog and the formation of ice during the night. With winter now deep into initiating its regime in Belgium, people are urged to get the latest updates and keep checking for the changes in the weather and the associated disturbances in the traffic.
Besides, looking at the situation in Belgium going through this wave of the winter period, the powers that be highlight the significance of safety during storms. Night driving is especially risky because of slippery roads and poor visibility because of fog or snowfall. With certain trends predicting a change of climate to a relatively warmer one in the following weeks, people are hopeful of better weather to cope with the harsh winter that they have to endure while embracing the beauty of Belgium’s winters.
