Editing Signal de Botrange (section)

{{Short description|Highest point in Belgium}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Signal de Botrange
| photo = Belgium, Botrange, Monument.JPG
| photo_caption = The 6&nbsp;m high tower at the Signal de Botrange
| photo_size = 225
| elevation_m = 694
| elevation_ref = <ref name="pb">[http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=9606 "Signal de Botrange" on Peakbagger.com] Retrieved 29 September 2011</ref>
| prominence = 119 m (390 ft)
| map = Belgium
| map_caption = Location of Signal de Botrange in Belgium
| map_size = 240
| label_position = left
| listing = [[List of countries by highest point|Country high point]]
| location = [[Liège Province]], [[Wallonia]], Belgium
| range = [[Hautes Fagnes]]
| coordinates = {{coord|50|30|06|N|6|05|34|E|type:mountain_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_ref = <ref name="pb"/>
| first_ascent = 
| easiest_route = 
}}
[[File:Signal_de_Botrange,_communicatiemast_boven_op_de_berg_foto5_2017-03-28_11.58.jpg|left|125px|thumb|Communication tower on the Signal de Botrange]]
'''Signal de Botrange''' is the highest point in [[Wallonia]] and in Belgium, located in the ''[[High Fens]]'' (''Hautes Fagnes'' in [[French language|French]], ''Hohes Venn'' in [[German language|German]], ''Hoge Venen'' in [[Dutch language|Dutch]]), at {{convert|694|m|ft|0|abbr=off}}. It is the top of a broad [[plateau]] and a road crosses the summit, passing an adjacent [[café]]. It is also the highest point in the [[Ardennes]] and in the European part of the [[Benelux]].

For several decades a meteorological station was installed at signal de Botrange. Since 1999, it was replaced by an automatic station of the [[Royal Meteorological Institute|Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium]] installed on Mount Rigi (scientific station of the High Fens - [[University of Liège]]), which is between the Signal and [[Baraque Michel]] which was formerly the highest point in Belgium prior to the annexation of the [[Eupen-Malmedy|Eastern Cantons]] in 1919.

Signal de Botrange experiences stronger winds than the centre of Belgium. Average and extreme temperatures are usually lower than at any other place in Belgium: the minimum temperature recorded ({{cvt|-25.6|°C|disp=sqbr}}) does not, however, exceed the absolute record ({{cvt|-30.1|°C|disp=sqbr}}), observed in the valley of the Lomme, at [[Rochefort, Belgium|Rochefort]] during a temperature inversion. In winter, for three months, on average, the average temperature remains below {{cvt|0|°C}}.

Rainfall is much greater than most of the rest of the country, at an annual average of {{cvt|1450|mm}} compared with {{cvt|800|mm}} in [[Uccle]]: there are over 200 days of precipitation per year (against just over 170 in Uccle). Maximum temperatures in summer rarely exceed {{cvt|30|°C}}. The number of days of frost is over 130 days per year and the number of days of snowfall exceeds 35 days. The maximum thickness of snow was measured on 9 February 1953, at {{cvt|115|cm}} of snow. Frost and early snowfall can occur in late September, but that is exceptional. Late snow may sometimes occur until mid-May.{{citation needed|date=January 2011}}

At the height of winter the site is used as the start of a number of [[cross-country skiing]] routes.<ref>[http://www.ski-botrange.be/index.asp?l=en&rub=carte Cross-country ski map of Botrange]</ref>