The temperature hit 40.4 degrees at the weather station in Gilze-Rijen between Breda and Tilburg on Thursday afternoon, the KNMI weather bureau said, setting a new national record.

Temperatures of over 40 degrees were also recorded at the Twenthe weather station between  Enschede, Hengelo and Oldenzaal and in Hupsel in the east of Gelderland.

Thursday’s high temperature tops Wednesday’s new record, set in Eindhoven, and shatters the previous one, dating from 1944, by almost two degrees Celsius.

Earlier reports that the temperature had neared 42 Celsius in Geelen in Gelderland were proved wrong, when weather forecasters investigated.

The RIVM public health institute issued a smog alarm for parts of the Netherlands on Thursday, saying the air quality is ‘extremely poor’ in areas of Noord-Brabant, Zuid-Holland, Limburg, Zeeland, Noord-Holland, Flevoland and Utrecht.

A smog alarm warns that everyone can be affected by air pollution, not just vulnerable groups. People with breathing trouble are recommended to stay indoors, if cool, and to avoid heavy physical exercise.

The afternoons and early evening are the worst times of day for smog.

Weekend

Friday will also be hot and sunny, with temperatures reaching 35 degrees in the south, but the weekend will be cooler, with thunderstorms, the KNMI weather bureau said.

Next week too it will be hot, with temperatures in the high 20s, with some cloud and a 30% chance of rain.