Belgium Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Charleroi, and Liège
Summary
Driven by persistent atmospheric across Western Europe, Belgium experienced its warmest May to July period on record, with three-month average temperatures reaching 18.17°C (+3.5°C above baseline). The latest period was capped by an average temperature of 20.41°C (+3.7°C anomaly), placing as the 4th warmest July since records began in 1940. Relentless warmth combined with drying soils across the region, while global ocean temperatures soared alongside a moderate El Niño forecast to peak at Very Strong in Oct-Dec. The intense warmth is expected to linger across Western Europe into late summer.
This month in numbers
Belgium recorded an average temperature of 20.41°C in July 2026, running 3.7°C above the 1961–1990 baseline to stand as the 4th warmest on record for the month. The headline figure comes from the May to July three-month window, which reached an unprecedented average temperature of 18.17°C to mark the warmest such period in 87 years of data. Globally, land temperatures in July averaged 15.8°C (+1.6°C anomaly), placing as the 3rd warmest on record worldwide for the month.
What changed
The summer record caps an extraordinary stretch of warmth for Belgium, where every single month since February has registered anomalies of at least 2.7°C above baseline, headlined by June at +4.3°C and April at +2.7°C. Across the three-month May to July period, Belgium recorded the 7th highest temperature anomaly among 232 global regions tracked, sitting within a tight cluster of Western European nations experiencing extreme heat. Belgium also ranked 5th overall within the European group for July temperature anomalies, running 1.41°C warmer than the European continent as a whole. On a rolling 12-month basis, Belgium sits 19th worldwide with a 2.53°C anomaly, reinforcing a long-term warming trend that has seen its annual baseline rise by 1.78°C since records began.
What’s driving change?
Relentless summer warmth across Western Europe was primarily propelled by stalled high-pressure systems creating persistent that trapped hot air masses over the continent. This static atmospheric pattern was reinforced by , as depleted ground moisture prevented evaporative cooling and allowed surface heat to build rapidly day after day. On a broader scale, environments, accelerating continental temperature rises during atmospheric blockings. Meanwhile, a moderate El Niño event continues in the equatorial Pacific, tracked at ENSO, though its direct atmospheric teleconnections to Northern Europe remain historically weak and variable.
Looking ahead
Extended seasonal models indicate that above-average temperatures and drier-than-normal conditions are likely to persist across Western Europe through late summer and into early autumn.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – Global
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance (countries & continents) · Met Office (UK) · US states & climate regions. Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – Belgium
Köppen Cfb · TemperateBelgium has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfb: Oceanic / temperate), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. August is typically the warmest month, averaging 18.6°C, while January is the coldest at 3.5°C. Annual precipitation averages around 797mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly rain, with snow (water-equivalent) shown separately.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – Belgium
Right axis: everything else standardized to standard deviations (σ) from its own average, since mm/hours/days aren't directly comparable to °C or to each other.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Heatwave Days – Belgium
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI heatwave measure: days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Belgium
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Monthly Temperature – Belgium
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Records – Belgium
Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Cfb · TemperateHow spring and autumn have shifted in Belgium. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (9.3°C, from 1940–1969); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 15.8°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Feb (+3.0°C). The warmest month has shifted from Jul to Aug.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Belgium
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
Country-level temperature anomaly, sourced from Copernicus ERA5 and Hadley HadCRUT5.
Annual country and global CO₂ emissions, from the Global Carbon Project.
Monthly rainfall - Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD) preferred, World Bank CCKP/CRU TS fallback where GPCC lacks direct coverage.
Frost Days and Heatwave Days (Warm Spell Duration Index), ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Belgium changing?
Belgium is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
What is the climate like in Belgium?
Belgium has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfb: Oceanic / temperate), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. August is typically the warmest month, averaging 18.6°C, while January is the coldest at 3.5°C. Annual precipitation averages around 797mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Where does the climate data for Belgium come from?
Climate data for Belgium comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Belgium climate data cover?
The Belgium climate profile covers Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Charleroi and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Belgium
How often is the Belgium climate update refreshed?
The Belgium climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the Belgium climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the Belgium climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.