Overview
- The KNMI activated code orange for the middle and south and code yellow for northern provinces, taking effect Wednesday at 12:00 and expected to remain in place through Friday.
- Code orange reflects a forecast of multi-day high temperatures using set thresholds — at least three days of 34°C, two days of 36°C, or one day of 38°C — and the KNMI does not expect to raise the level to code red this week.
- The RIVM has issued non-binding health advice to avoid intense physical exertion between 12:00 and 18:00, drink plenty of fluids, and check on people who are vulnerable to heat.
- Local responses include opening cooling spaces and offering free water, for example the Grote Kerk in Dordrecht, while some services are disrupted such as the Van Maanenbad outdoor pool which closed due to a staff shortage.
- The KNMI says this is the sixth code orange for heat since 2010 and that 35°C-plus days now occur far more often, a trend that raises the likelihood of recurring heat episodes and local strain on services.