A searing heatwave sweeping Europe has pushed temperatures above 40°C in parts of Italy and Spain, as the world’s fastest-warming continent continues to suffer the effects of the climate emergency.
Spain, Portugal, Greece and France have all issued extreme heat, wildfire and health warnings.
Several Italian regions, including Sicily and Liguria, have introduced bans on outdoor work during the hottest hours of the day.
Meanwhile at home, five regions of the UK have been placed under an amber heat health alert until Tuesday, with temperatures set to reach 36°C on Monday in parts of the country.
Health services in the East Midlands, South East, South West, London, and the East of England have been placed on the second-highest heat alert, while a yellow alert is in force in Yorkshire and Humber, and the West Midlands.
An amber alert was previously issued for all regions in England on June 19, the first time it had been used since September 2023.
The heatwave follows a series of extreme-heat records, including Europe’s hottest March ever, according to the EU’s Copernicus climate monitor.
Flooding and wildfires swept the continent last week. The Greek island of Chios, which is the fifth largest in the country, was ravaged by blazes that tore through 11,000 acres of bush and pasture land.
A housekeeper has been arrested for unintentional arson after witnesses allegedly saw her drop a cigarette.
Where in Europe will be hottest?
The Portuguese capital Lisbon is set to experience temperatures as high as 42°C on Sunday.
In Spain, state weather agency Aemet has issued a special heatwave warning for the southwest and the northeast near the Pyrenees, where in parts it is expected to reach 42°C.
In Nice, in the south of France, schools have been supplied with 250 portable fans to keep classes running.
Public swimming pools in Marseille have been made free to use for the duration of the heatwave.
Residents near Athens in Greece were forced to evacuate as wildfires engulfed several coastal towns.
When will the heatwave end?
It’s not clear when temperatures will drop, but Spain’s Aemet weather agency has warned it will be intense and prolonged.
What’s the weather forecast for the UK?
Alongside the heatwave will be more misery for anyone with hayfever, with a grass pollen ‘bomb’ expected in the coming days.
Temperatures are expected to peak in southern England on Monday when the mercury is expected to hit 36°C, while on Sunday and Tuesday temperatures of 31°C are likely.
Meteorologist Ellie Glaisyer said most Brits could expect to wake up to a very warm start on Sunday thanks to an area of low pressure moving from the south.
She said: ‘It’s been a very warm day for many of us on Saturday and that heat is going to continue to build as we head into the start of the new working week.’
As Sunday progresses, a band of cloud and rain across will move across central parts of the UK, before gradually edging northwards.
Showers will ease before eventually turning heavier in the North West.
Temperatures will remain cooler in some parts, with 21°C the highest likely to be reached in Scotland, and 23°C in southwest England.
However, beyond Tuesday, it will begin to feel much fresher across most areas of the UK as temperatures ease back down to the lower 20s for the remainder of the week.
There’s a chance the UK may break its record hottest day in June, which has stood since 1976 when the mercury reached 35.6°C in Southampton.
The official threshold for a heatwave is three consecutive days of temperatures between 25°C and 28°C, depending on the area of the UK.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.