The Netherlands set a new heat record Tuesday as temperatures soared past 33 degrees Celsius, making it officially the hottest July 1 since records began in 1901.
According to the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), thermometers in De Bilt reached 33.2 degrees Celsius at 1:10 p.m., breaking the previous record of 33.1 degrees set in 2015. De Bilt, often considered the meteorological average for the country, is the basis for official national records and is home to the KNMI headquarters.
Nationwide, conditions were even hotter. In Gilze Rijen and Woensdrecht, temperatures surpassed 35 degrees, while the highest reading so far came from Westdorpe, where the mercury hit 34.9 degrees Celsius early in the afternoon. The all-time July 1 record at any Dutch station is 35.6 degrees, also measured in Westdorpe in 2015, a threshold forecasters expect could be exceeded later in the day.
Temperatures are likely to climb further as the afternoon progresses. The sun was forecast to reach its highest point at 1:43 p.m., with sunset due at 10:03 p.m.
The extreme heat marks the seventh date-specific temperature record in the Netherlands this year. Earlier in 2025, records were broken or equaled in February, March, and June. Meteorologists note that warm records are occurring about nine times more frequently than cold records this century.
Thermometers in Eindhoven surpassed the tropical threshold of 30 degrees Celsius by 10:20 a.m., confirming the first regional heatwave since 2023. Under Dutch definitions, a “warm day” requires temperatures above 20 degrees, a “summer day” above 25, a “tropical day” above 30, and a “very hot day” above 35 degrees.
The heatwave in Eindhoven began last Friday when temperatures first topped 25 degrees. Sunday and Monday also brought tropical conditions, with highs of 30.1 and 32.3 degrees, respectively. Once temperatures exceed 35 degrees Tuesday, the region will officially experience its first “very hot day” in nearly three years.
The blistering conditions are expected to continue Wednesday. Forecasts indicate maximums exceeding 30 degrees in nearly every region and potentially reaching 37 or 38 degrees in the southeast and east. If so, local date records could fall again.
Whether De Bilt sets another record Wednesday remains uncertain. Cooler air is forecast to arrive quickly from the west, with maximums likely to be reached around midday. The standing July 2 record in De Bilt is 33.6 degrees, measured in 2010.
Last year saw no heatwaves in the Netherlands— the first time since 2011 that none were recorded. The most recent national heatwave, when conditions in De Bilt itself meet official thresholds, was in August 2022.