Snow
Snow is precipitation in the form of ice crystals. Many ice crystals together form snowflakes. These flakes can accumulate on the ground in a white layer.
Risks and causes
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What can you do?
BEFORE
- Before winter sets in, check that your heating appliances still work properly.
- Check the insulation of your pipes: the cold can damage them and cause your heating system to stop working.
- Check your car. For example, fit winter tyres.
- Keep a blanket, scraper and bottle of water in your car.
DURING
- Listen to weather forecasts and follow road safety recommendations or warnings.
- Report any icy conditions via the RMI app (French/Dutch only) That way, the gritting services can intervene more quickly.
Inside the home:
- Set the thermostat to a minimum room temperature that remains comfortable. Avoid excessive temperatures.
- Ventilate your home for 10 minutes every day.
- Close the doors of rooms you don't use or rarely use.
- Don't forget about your pets. Leave them indoors or make sure they have plenty of food and drinking water.
- Beware of CO poisoning. Do you use a fireplace, a coal, oil or pellet stove, or a gas water heater? Do you heat your home with gas or oil? Take the necessary precautions.
Do you have to go out?
- Put on several layers of clothing and cover your whole body. Wear a hat, for example. If you go out without a head covering, you lose 30% of your body heat.
- Be vigilant when travelling about
- Are you taking the car?
- Watch your speed. Be very careful on bends.
- Read winter tips for motorists from the Walloon Agency for Road Safety (French only)
- Take a blanket, hot drinks or water with you, in case you get stuck in a traffic jam.
- Will you take the bike?
- Watch your speed and keep your distance. That means you have to brake less often.
- Read the winter tips for cyclists from the AVELLO.
AFTER
Be careful when the ice thaws: frozen pipes can be damaged and leak.
Impact and probability
The figures relating to probability and impact describe considerable snowfall. The BNRA theoretically describes such a scenario as follows:
- It snows on a weekday in up to two provinces.
- The snowfall is of moderate intensity. It is difficult to clear the snow. There are no strong surface winds, so the snow remains uniformly scattered with a height of less than 10 cm.
How should you interpret these results?
Within the BNRA, experts assessed three scenarios for each risk: considerable, major or extreme. On each page, you will find the results of the scenario with the highest score based on the combination of likelihood and impact. This does not mean that this scenario will occur or is the most likely. Read more here about how to correctly interpret the results.
Probability
Strong
Human impact
Very weak
Societal impact
Very weak
Environmental impact
No impact
Financial impact
Very weak
What do the authorities do?
The RMI closely monitors the weather situation and issues warnings of (expected) cold spells. These alerts are communicated by colour codes. Based on these colour codes, local or regional authorities can take various measures, such as:
- setting up winter shelters for the homeless;
- implementing gritting plans to clear roads of snow and ice.
Find out more here.