Wednesday, July 29, 2026, was officially the warmest July 29 since measurements began in 1901. Temperatures reached 31.7 degrees Celsius in De Bilt and peaked at 35.2 degrees Celsius in Gilze-Rijen and Westdorpe, marking the ninth date-specific heat record for the year in the Netherlands.
The heatwave reached a critical threshold on Wednesday, pushing the Netherlands into a new record for this specific calendar date. At 14:30 uur in De Bilt, a temperature of 31.7 degrees Celsius was measured, which eclipsed the previous record of 31.5 degrees set in 1948.
Regional Peaks in Gilze-Rijen and Westdorpe
While the national benchmark at De Bilt was high, the regional heat was significantly more intense. In Brabant, Gilze-Rijen hit 35.2 degrees Celsius, which is warmer than the record from 1969. Westdorpe also reached 35.2 degrees.
Earlier in the day, both Westdorpe and Gilze-Rijen reached 34.3 degrees, which constituted an evenaring (equalization) of the previous national record of 34.3 degrees measured in Eelde in 1969. The expectation was that the temperature would regionally reach 35 degrees, meaning it would be warmer on July 29 than ever before, as the record for that date stood at 34.3 degrees from July 29, 1969.
This temperature push categorized the day as a regional very hot day. This was the sixth such occurrence this year. While the 35-degree mark was met in Westdorpe (Zeeland) and Gilze-Rijen (Brabant), it was not reached in the province of Utrecht.
A Pattern of Date-Specific Records
The record set on July 29 is not an isolated event but part of a broader trend of temperature anomalies in 2026. This marks the ninth official date-warmth record of the year.
Further date records were logged at the main station in De Bilt on May 26 and May 29, followed by June 24 and June 26. The disparity between warming and cooling trends is stark; this century, it has occurred nine times more often that there was a heat record than a cold record. The last recorded date-cold record happened on August 6, 2023.
Forecasts for the Coming Week
The extreme heat is expected to subside. According to nieuws.nl and ANP, no further records are anticipated this week after Wednesday. A shift to a westerly wind on Thursday will bring in air that is less warm, though temperatures along the eastern border may still reach 30 to 33 degrees. The record across all stations stands at 34.9 degrees.
A more pronounced cooling trend begins Friday, with maximum temperatures projected to drop into the 22 to 27-degree range.
| Location | July 29, 2026 Temp | Previous Record/Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| De Bilt | 31.7°C | 31.5°C (1948) |
| Gilze-Rijen | 35.2°C | 34.3°C (1969) |
| Westdorpe | 35.2°C | 34.3°C (1969) |
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