Snow came to Belgium this Monday: could we have a white Christmas?

Snow appeared on the heights this Monday. Slippery conditions are also expected on our roads this evening until 11 a.m. Tuesday. So could we have a white Christmas?

For those who dreamed of a Christmas under the snow, disillusionment is in order. Although a few light snow showers could still occur this evening on the heights of the Ardennes and Hautes-Fagnes, they will quickly give way to dry weather. The snow will only hold on peaks above 600 meters in altitude, such as the Signal de Botrange, the Baraque Michel or the Baraque de Fraiture. However, even at these high points, the snow is expected to melt gradually, leaving only a thin layer for New Year's Eve evening.

Not for this year

The scenario of a white Christmas is moving even further away. With a rise in temperatures, we expect up to 10 degrees in Brussels and 7 degrees in the south of the country. Particularly mild weather for the season, confirming that a snowy Christmas will remain a distant memory. The last white Christmas for the whole of Belgium dates back to 2010. In 74 years, only 8 white Christmases have been recorded in the country. A rare phenomenon which seems more and more exceptional.

Be careful on the road

Caution is advised on the roads: the Royal Meteorological Institute (IRM) issues a yellow alert for slippery conditions for the provinces of Liège, Namur, Luxembourg and Hainaut from this Monday 6 p.m. until Tuesday 11 a.m.

Winter showers on the heights of the Ardennes (with sometimes snow above 300-400 meters above sea level) are expected, followed by clearings which could drop temperatures below zero.

In the center of the country, the minimums will be between 0 and 2 degrees, but temperatures could also become transiently negative on the ground with very locally a risk of ice patches in the second part of the night.

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