The thermometer reads 30.5C or 87F. I know it’s probably not the actual temperature, but it does make me pretty glad that rain will finally be coming tonight after an 8 day heat wave. Lots of records were broken in the Netherlands this week. The seven day average temperature for the country was 33.1C, with the previous record of 32C back in 1976 (about 91F).
Another record broken: the Netherlands had 8 straight days of temperatures above 35C (95F) somewhere in the country. De Bilt, a small town in the centre of the Netherlands saw temperatures above 30C for 8 days in a row. That is significant because De Bilt is the official site for average temperatures for the country (and also home to KNMI, the Dutch metrological service).
Of course, it will probably take a while before the apartment cools down, but hopefully not too long. I’m crossing my finger a lot while saying that!
And for some news regarding the corona crisis:
- Over 4,000 Covid-19 tests booked online on first day of website launch – nltimes.nl. Previously you needed to call to set up an appointment, but that number was not available 24/7. It’s still available, of course. Making an appointment digitally is a supplement to that.
- Dutch blood bank’s Covid medicine could be ready for October – nltimes.nl. Sanquin, the Dutch blood bank, has been collecting plasma from recovered Covid-19 patients to make it into a medicine for newly diagnosed patients. As a blood donor myself, I can see the value of this one.
- Covid-19 testing at Schiphol from today – also from nltimes.nl. That is of course Schiphol airport. Any travellers coming from high-risk countries can get a “fast” Covid-19 test done upon arrival in the Netherlands. At the moment this testing is voluntary, although strongly encouraged.
Stay cool, everyone… ☀️
Life in the Hague 