15°C in mid-December is “exceptionally mild, but not a record”
Although Christmas is only a week away day time temperatures are well into double figures. Today (Tuesday) temperatures in many areas of the country are set top 15°C. Although the temperatures are exceptional for this time of year it is unlikely that any records will be broken.
The VRT’s weatherman Frank Deboosere told Flandersnews.be that it will be an “exceptionally mild” 17 December. “Temperatures started to rise yesterday evening and this morning we saw temperatures of around 12°C at Ukkel (Brussels)”. As the day goes on temperatures in most locations will reach, as forecast, 14°C or 15°C. This is way above the average maximum temperature for this time of year of around 5°C or 6°C. “Today we will be around 8°C or possible even 10°C above this”.
The mild weather is a consequence of very mild air from the south. “It is something that has been going on for a number of days, but today it has reached its peak”, Frank Deboosere said.
However 15°C is not a record for 17 December "Four years ago maximum temperatures reached 16°C in Ukkel”
16 warmest temperature records in 2019
Frank Deboosere is reluctant to link today’s exceptional temperatures to climate change. “It would be simplistic to link one temperature reached on one day to climate change, because climate should be measured over a period of 30 years”.
Nevertheless, our weatherman says that it is clear that on average it is warmer now than it was previously. So far this year daytime top temperature records have been broken on 10 days, while night-time high temperature records have been broken on 6 nights.
The mild spell is set to continue. On Wednesday it will be slightly cooler with rain in most areas. Temperatures will reach between 8°C and 9°C. On Thursday it will be much warmer with top temperatures expected to reach between 12°C and 14°C.