The Netherlands grapples with another heatwave
The Netherlands is experiencing its second official heatwave of the year as temperatures passed the 25°C mark for four consecutive days.
Published on August 15, 2025
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The Netherlands has experienced its second official heatwave of the year, a rare occurrence that has only happened four times before since 1901. This heatwave comes just months after the previous one, with temperatures soaring above 30°C for three days this week. While regional heatwaves are more common, the back-to-back nationwide heatwaves highlight the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events due to climate change. This makes 2025 a particularly noteworthy year for weather patterns in the Netherlands.
At 10:40 AM on Friday, August 15, 2025, the temperature in De Bilt, home to the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), reached 25.2°C, officially marking the occurrence of the heatwave. Over the past few days, the Netherlands has experienced four summer days with temperatures of 25°C or higher, with three of those days exceeding 30°C. The criteria for an official heatwave in the Netherlands require at least five summer days with temperatures of 25°C or higher, including a minimum of three days with temperatures reaching 30°C or higher.
More frequent regional heatwaves
While the official heatwave is declared based on measurements in De Bilt, regional heatwaves are also occurring. Regional heatwaves are more common, with 2024 being an exception, as it had no regional heatwaves. In contrast, 2023 saw three regional heatwaves. The record for the most heatwaves in a year is held by Maastricht, which experienced five heatwaves in 1947, with the last one occurring unusually late, from September 11 to September 16.
This current heatwave is expected to be brief, with temperatures in De Bilt forecasted to drop to 22°C this weekend. Lasting only five days, it will be a short-lived heatwave, similar to the first one of the year. For comparison, the longest heatwave in De Bilt lasted eighteen days, from July 29 to August 15, 1975.
Today's heatwave marks the 32nd such event in De Bilt since 1901. Interestingly, sixteen of these heatwaves occurred in the previous century, and this century has now also seen sixteen heatwaves. De Bilt is considered average in terms of heatwave frequency compared to other locations in the Netherlands. Arcen, Limburg, has already recorded 32 heatwaves this century, while Vlieland and Terschelling have experienced only one heatwave each in the same period.
Notably, there were no official heatwaves in 2023 and 2024. In 2024, the country did not even come close to experiencing a regional heatwave. However, 2023 had three regional heatwaves, though they did not reach the central part of the country.
