Extreme and prolonged heat engulfing parts of Spain, Italy and north Africa shows no signs of easing this week. Anticyclone Scipio has been bringing hot air from Africa to the central Mediterranean, causing weeks of scorching temperatures.
An anticyclone – an area of high pressure – is the opposite of a cyclone. Some countries name anticyclones if they are likely to bring severe weather such as searing heat. This is similar to the way most countries, including the UK, name areas of low pressure, or cyclones, if they bring severe weather in the form of heavy rain or strong winds.
