A week of summer heat, shooting stars and sea sparkle

Temperatures around the country will reach into the 30s this week, with a hot wind from the south bringing in the warm weather, according to KNMI.

The Netherlands Meteorological Institute is predicting a few hot and dry days, with temperatures peaking on Wednesday and a possibility of thunderstorms on Thursday.

If temperatures exceed 30 degrees Celsius on for the first three days of the week, it would be the second regional heat wave of the year. The previous one was in early July and that was the first since August 2022.

The clear skies should allow stargazers to catch shooting stars from the Perseid meteor shower, which always passes Earth in mid-August. Your best chance is on the night of August 12th to 13th.

The sudden rise in temperature also increases the risk of sea sparkle along the coast. That refers to algae that emits blue light when it’s disturbed, due to waves or other factors.

The high temperatures have prompted health institute RIVM and weather bureau KNMI to activate the national heat protection system from 10am on Tuesday to help vulnerable groups.