Is this Belgium? Feels like San Diego

Most of the time when I write about the weather in Belgium, you read about endless gray skies, the howling wind, horizontal rain, and damp chill. Normally, a sunny day is treated like a precious jewel, an irregularity in the meteorological order.

For the last month we’ve had day after day after day of near perfect weather. Sunshine streams through the bedroom windows in the morning and the living room windows in the evening. Calm winds and mild temperatures are perfect for exploring the city, wandering in the woods, or lingering on the terrace. At night, the temps drop and pleasantly cool the house off so that the flannel sheets and light fleece blankets still feel cozy. Each morning I open up all the windows and air the house out.

Only in Belgium would a stint of perfect weather be a record-breaking anomaly. According to Expatica.com, the average temperature in April was well above normal: 14.3 C compared to 9 C (58 F compared to 48 F). The average temperature broke a record that was more than 20 years old.

The average high temperature was 20.5 C (68 F), breaking the previous record of 17.4 C (63 F) from 1946.

And all those hours of spirit-lifting sunshine are the most recorded in Belgium ever, the previous record having been set in 1893.

But perhaps the most shocking thing of all is that in April, we had no measurable precipitation. That’s right, there was no rain in April in Belgium, a country distinguished by its endless drizzle and frequent showers.

Y’all say your prayers and make up with those you've wronged. I think the world is going to end soon.

May 5, 2007

Comments

[Shirl Grrrl]

Plenty of gray skies, wind, rain and chill here in Indy. I'll trade ya!

[furiousBall]

I'm trying to mend as much as I can. I'll take rain and mending over the sunshine we've been having right now.

[Amber]

I think we have your weather. It has been grey and wet for a week and a half. So odd. But I am kind of happy about it, a I was dreading a long hot as hell summer.(it gets stays around 110 here for weeks)

:)

[mamatulip]

Seriously, the weather freaks me out. It really does.

[Neil]

I hope you're enjoying your San Diego weather.

[Nance]

Oh,no. I'm still shivering in NE Ohio, waiting for the lilacs to come out. We're way behind schedule. I think strawberry season might not happen now till July!

[RD]

SW Michigan has sunny skies and warm temps this week, and I'm basking in it after a miserable, though short, winter. I'm quite worried about the weather--and the honeybees gone missing. Anyone seen our honeybees?! I don't feel good about this.

[javacurls]

I love all this sunshine we're experiencing!! Feels like I'm in a dream where I don't want to wake up. I don't want to see this beautiful weather come to an end!

[Di]

'Sorry darlin' was what I said when I read this ... the Belgians have informed me that Monday is rain and (this is the worst part) just as we've had this hot weather pattern stuck over top of us, the rain and cold could stall over Belgium for 6 weeks or more or less ... nobody knows but prepare thyself and let's hope we get enough rain to be safe then enough sun again. I've just made my balcony my writing space ... a reality that is totally reliant on good weather.

[V-Grrrl]

"Sorry darlin'"? Why, Di, you're starting to sound like a Southern Grrrl! (Not like the Southern Hemisphere girl that you are.)