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New weather record set, no rain for 34 days, but storms ahead

The thermometer's brief dip in the Netherlands will be short-lived, with high temperatures expected to reach 30 degrees Celsius over the weekend, and peaking at about 32 degrees on Monday. The ongoing dry weather is expected to remain at least until next Tuesday or Wednesday, according to the KNMI, the Dutch meteorological office. The current record for most consecutive days without measurable rainfall in De Bilt is 33, a figure which will be matched on Wednesday. The centrally-located city is considered the meteorological average for the country.

The first regional heat wave of the year has arrived in the Netherlands, Weeronline reports. The first is at the Woensdrecht weather station, where it was 30.1 degrees at 1:10 p.m. This meets the definition of a heat wave.

This spring was the second wettest one for the Netherlands this century, with only 2006 getting more rain, the meteorological institute KNMI reported. The lots of rain was good for the groundwater levels.

Thermometers hit 25 degrees in Hupsel, Gelderland, at 1:50 p.m. on Monday, making May 22 the first local summer’s day of the year. Typically, the first local summer’s day happens around May 1, Weer.nl reports. For an official summer’s day, temperatures must hit 25 degrees or higher at the KNMI measuring station in De Bilt. Maximums climbed to 24 degrees there yesterday.