Data released by the Royal Meteorological Institute (KMI) earlier on Tuesday shows that last month was particularly dry with just 7.8mm of rain having fallen at KMI’s Ukkel (Brussels) weather centre. This is just 10% of the average for March.
With 7.8mm rainfall March 2025 was the 3rd driest March in 100 years. The driest March since records began was in 2022. This was the start of a prolonged period of dry weather. The second driest March was in 1992 when there was 4.2mm of precipitation during the whole month. During the whole of last month, it only rained on just 6 days. This is well below the average of 16 days.
February too was drier than average. The prolonged period of sparse rainfall and plentiful sunshine have made the upper soil layers very dry. A Code Orange allert for heat hand forest fires is in force in Antwerp and Limburg Provinces. Code Yellow is in force in the other 3 provinces.
Tessa De Prins of the Farming association Boerenbond told VRT News that the period of dry weather is not yet causing issues for farmers. In fact, conditions are now perfect for sowing crops. “A lot of work is being done at the moment. If if remains dry some rain will be welcome once the crops have been sown, but the season is still young”.
Sunny with large variation in temperature
March was also exceptionally sunny and mild, at least with regard to maximum temperatures. The KMI recorded over 191 hours of sunshine, more than 50% more than average. We also saw less cloud than normal with 13 days with clear skies last compared to a long-term March average of just 4 or 5 days.
The average maximum temperature was 13.6°C compared with 10.9°C in a normal March. Up to 3 daily top temperature records were broken (on 7, 8 and 21 March).
In contrast to this the nights were chilly and even cold. At 3.3°C the average minimum temperature was slightly lower than the long-term average of 3.5°C degrees.