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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Travel
Milo Boyd

Holiday warning issued for Brits heading to Turkey and Greece for October half term

Brits heading on holidays to Turkey, Greece and Cyprus this half term will want to prepare for blistering temperatures as the heatwave which hit Europe this summer rumbles on.

Over the weekend temperatures in the holiday hotspot of Antalya hit 41C according to some weather stations, smashing the previous hottest October day record there by two degrees.

It also means Turkey has just endured its hottest October day since 1930, according to meteorologist Yaser Turker.

"Antalya experienced a historical day in terms of temperature," he wrote.

The mercury topped 40C in Turkey over the weekend (Getty Images)

"Antalya Airport experienced the hottest October day since 1930 with 41.2°C (Central 40.4°C) due to the blow-drying of the hot air coming from Africa and descending to the bay from N and NW. 41.2°C is also Turkey's October record."

The heatwave has hit a region which is one of the most popular with tourists in Turkey, with more than 10 million tourists landing at Antalya so far this year.

October 1 was a particularly scorching day in the region, with Cyprus's Athalassa National Park clocking in just shy of 40C and Potamoi in Greece hitting 39.2C.

According to Arabia Weather, the temperature spike is the result of a wind descending from the tops of the Taurus mountains in a weather phenomenon called Fohn wind.

While temperatures have cooled in the past two days to a more manageable 30C across Turkey's southern coast, the mercury's highpoint this weekend is a reminder of how relentless 2022's remains deep into the autumn.

Temperature records tumbled across Europe as thermometers topped 40C for the first time in the UK.

In Portugal a breath-taking 47C was reached as wildfires ripped across the country, while the mercury stayed above 50C in Death Valley, USA for the first time ever.

Starting from the middle of June 2022, China has experienced in this summer the longest and strongest heatwave on record since the country established its national meteorological observations in 1961.

The heatwave lasted for about 70 days, with temperatures in several provinces and dozens of cities surpassing 40C.

The mercury is likely to drop and remain around 30C over the coming days (Getty Images/EyeEm)

The longevity of the heatwave, and the fact it hit so many countries across the globe, underlined the alarming effect of man-made global warming.

Many scientists warned that such temperatures - and the damage they can do to people and natural resources - will become increasingly common.

As Half Term approaches, Brits who are looking to make the most of the relatively weak state of the Turkish economy may either be alarmed or welcome the likely high heats.

Although the temperatures will most likely drop by the time schools break-up in a fortnight, the seemingly relentless nature of the 2022 heatwave can't be ruled out.

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