The drought has decreased in the Netherlands since the beginning of September. Verulin notes this. The peak was on September 5 with an average rainfall deficit of 318 mm in the country. At the time, 2022 was the second driest year since measurements began in 1906. The precipitation deficit is now 284 mm and 2022 is in seventh place. In the coming days there will be an alternation between mainly dry and crowded days. Sometimes the shortage increases again, but on Friday and during the upcoming weekend the shortage will decrease.
September 5, 2022 was the second driest year, only in 1976 was it the driest. Then days of rain followed. It was regionally particularly humid last Friday and Saturday and the drought decreased significantly. On Saturday, September 10, the national rainfall deficit decreased by at least 12 mm.
The rainfall deficit on Tuesday, September 13, was 284 mm. This places 2022 in seventh place when it comes to the driest years since 1906. The record year on this date is 1976 with 344 mm. The 2018 dry year also ended in 2022 as it reached 292mm on September 13th.
More rain is coming
It will rain mainly in southern Holland in the coming days. It will remain mostly dry in the northern half. The upshot for the average national precipitation deficit is that that deficit will increase slightly again through Friday.
It rains across the country from time to time on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. During this period, the precipitation deficit will decrease.
The chance of rain next week will be much less and the sun will shine regularly. Drought is increasing every day. Since the September sun is much less powerful than the sun in May, June and July, the lack of precipitation will certainly not rise sharply. Because the sun is lower in the sky and also shines for less time, the evaporation is much smaller than in midsummer.
Disagreements in the country
Since precipitation in summer usually falls from precipitation, the precipitation deficit varies greatly for each region.
Areas with still (well) precipitation deficits above 300 mm are Achterhoek, South Overijssel, almost all of Limburg, West Zeeland, Texel and Kobe van Nord Holland.
Places with below average rainfall can be found in Terschelling, Ameland, the mainland in Friesland, Groningen, southern Utrecht County and western Betuwe. In northern Holland in particular, the regional deficit is less than 210 mm.
River levels continue to rise
The water is still very low, especially in the Rhine, Ijssel and parts of the Waal. Important for these water levels is the supply of water across the Rhine from Germany. So we look at the expected water level in Lobeth (Gilderland).
In mid-August, the Rhine at Lobeth was about 635 cm above the NAP. On September 6, this was 699 cm above the NAP and now we are 730 cm above the NAP. This, by the way, is still a pretty low profile position. On average, the water level in the Rhine near Lobeth at this time of year is 850 cm above NAP.
This week is completely changing in the basin of the Rhine and its tributaries. In Switzerland, southwestern Germany and northeastern France, little rain falls on the schedule. The water level in Lopeth is expected to rise to more than 760 mm by the end of next week.
In Meuse, the water level is normal or slightly below normal in many places. In the coming days, the Meuse Basin, for example the Ardennes, will receive regular rain as well.
Source: Weeronline
