Heatwave Sweeps Belgium and France: Record Temperatures and Water Shortages
A historic heatwave is gripping Belgium and neighboring France, with record-breaking temperatures, unprecedented heat alerts, and emerging infrastructure failures. France has issued code red warnings in a record 35 departments, affecting approximately 26 million people, while Belgium faces its potentially warmest week ever recorded as the mercury climbs above 37°C.
Unprecedented Heat Alerts in France
Météo-France has raised the highest alert level—code red—for 35 departments, more than doubling the previous record of 20 departments set on July 24-25, 2019, according to Het Laatste Nieuws. An additional 45 departments are under code orange.
Temperatures could reach 38-41°C on Sunday, with Monday potentially becoming the hottest day ever measured in France at 37-42°C. For the first time in history, the national average temperature could exceed 30°C.
Nahel Belgherze, an extreme weather expert, described the event as “a historic heatwave,” noting that “the sheer extent of the country that could experience temperatures above 40°C is nothing short of astonishing.”
French authorities have taken unprecedented measures. In departments under code red, alcohol consumption in public spaces—including festivals—has been banned due to dehydration risks. The traditional Fête de la Musique was cancelled in Poitiers and Brive-la-Gaillarde (Corrèze). Extreme heat is expected to persist through at least Thursday, with possible relief starting Friday.
Belgium Braces for Potentially Warmest Week on Record
Belgium is facing its own extreme heat event. Temperatures above 30°C are guaranteed through Saturday, with the Royal Meteorological Institute (KMI) revising forecasts upward to predict 37°C for Thursday and Friday, as reported by Het Laatste Nieuws.
HLN weatherman David Dehenauw reports that next week could be the warmest week ever recorded in Belgium, with an average temperature around 27°C. The previous record was 25.3°C, set during the week of August 6-12, 2020.
Friday morning could see minimum temperatures around 26°C, potentially breaking the record for the warmest night ever recorded in Belgium—currently 24.4°C, set on July 4, 2015, in Ukkel. Three daily temperature records from the legendary summer of 1976 could also fall: June 24 (32.8°C), June 25 (33.6°C), and June 26. The hottest June day ever recorded in Belgium remains June 27, 1947, when Ukkel reached 36.8°C.
Code yellow for heat is in effect nationwide through Thursday, except at the coast, while code orange warnings ran from June 19 through June 23.
Violent Thunderstorms and Widespread Damage
The heatwave has been accompanied by violent thunderstorms. Between June 20 and 21, 26,006 lightning flashes were recorded across Belgium—21,210 cloud-to-cloud and 4,796 cloud-to-ground. Regional breakdowns show 12,195 flashes in Flanders, 13,758 in Wallonia, and 53 in Brussels.
Up to 60 mm of rainfall was recorded in Beitem (West Flanders), with 54 mm in Ghent and 49 mm in Roeselare. Hailstones up to 4 cm were reported in several locations. The Graspop Metal Meeting camping in Dessel was flooded, a lightning strike caused a roof fire in a home in Dendermonde (the family escaped safely), and a power outage struck Heers in Limburg.
Water Shortages Strike at Peak of Heat
The extreme heat has already exposed critical infrastructure vulnerabilities. In the Belgian municipality of Morlanwelz (Hainaut province, Wallonia), 12 streets in the town center have been without water since Saturday, June 20, according to RTBF.
The cause is a water pipe leak. Initial repairs on Saturday failed overnight, leaving residents without water for a second consecutive day at the peak of the heatwave. The Walloon Water Company (SWDE) has deployed four water distribution points across the municipality and arranged home delivery for vulnerable residents, including the elderly and disabled. Civil Protection has been called in to support operations, with repairs expected to be completed by Sunday afternoon.
The mayor has appealed for solidarity between neighbors and stressed the importance of hydration, particularly for the elderly, young children, and those with health conditions.
The Heat Dome: A Meteorological Explanation
The current heatwave is being driven by a “heat dome”—a high-pressure system that traps hot air over a large area. This phenomenon has created a “cooking pot effect” over Western Europe, with a stalled atmospheric pattern keeping the heat in place for an extended period. France sits at the epicenter of what experts describe as the most significant heat anomaly on the planet.
Climate Context and Implications
May 2026 was the 16th consecutive month with above-normal temperatures in Belgium, according to RTBF. The early-season intensity of this heatwave—occurring around the official start of summer (June 21)—is consistent with climate change projections showing more frequent and intense heat extremes. Belgian researchers have simulated scenarios where temperatures of 35°C persist for weeks.
The Morlanwelz water outage highlights the vulnerability of aging water infrastructure during extreme heat events. The combination of high demand and heat-stressed pipes creates conditions for failures that can have serious public health consequences when they occur during peak temperatures.
What to Watch For
As the heatwave continues, several key questions remain: Will the predicted temperature records—warmest week, warmest night, and individual daily records—actually materialize? How will healthcare systems cope with heat-related emergencies? And will additional infrastructure failures occur as the heat stresses aging pipes and power grids across the region?
Gradual cooling is expected toward late June and early July, with temperatures around 25°C forecast for central Belgium. But this heatwave serves as a stark reminder of the accelerating pace of extreme weather events and the urgent need for climate adaptation measures across Europe.